Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors decided to file a non-bailable case of illegal possession of dangerous drugs against Julian Roberto S. Ongpin, son of businessman and former Trade and Industry Minister Roberto V. Ongpin.
Julian will be charged with violation of Section 11 (illegal possession) of Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
A briefer released by the DOJ on Monday, Oct. 18, stated that “the criminal information against Mr. Ongpin will be filed at the Regional Trial Court, San Fernando City, La Union.”
The DOJ said that a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) has been “previously issued against Mr. Ongpin on 08 October 2021 by the Executive Judge of the said Regional Trial Court.”
Julian has become a person of interest in the Sept. 18 death of Filipina artist Breanna “Bree” Jonson.
He was arrested last Sept. 18 after policemen found 12.6 grams of cocaine inside the hotel room of a beach resort in San Juan, La Union where he and Breanna checked in a day before.
Breanna was found “motionless” at the hotel room at around 4:50 a.m. or 4:55 a.m. on Sept. 18 and was rushed to a hospital where she was declared dead.
Police report stated that both Julian and Breanna tested positive for use of cocaine, a prohibited drug.
The police initially filed the illegal drugs case against Julian before the Office of Provincial Prosecutor of La Union, which ordered his release for further investigation.
Last Sept. 24, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra issued Department Order No. 229 which transferred the preliminary investigation of Julian’s charges to the DOJ’s Office of the Secretary of the Prosecution Staff (OSJPS).
Guevarra had also ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe Breanna’s death. The investigation is still ongoing.