Two Filipino tourists have been arrested after 9.7 kg, or nearly P100 million worth of heroin, was recovered from luggage at the airport in the last week of September.

In an interview during DZRH’s Damdaming Bayan, Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) head Silvestre Bello III said that a suspect named Rolando Gozo from Lucena City admitted to smuggling the heroin, while his companion denied that he had any knowledge about the crime.

“Yung taga Lucena City, yun ang umamin. Yung isa naman, sinasabing wala siyang kinalaman. While the investigation is going on, siyempre naka-detain sila. Mabigat ang dala nila, almost 10 kilos of high-grade heroin. Nakalagay sa luggage,” he said.

Bello stated that he was surprised that the accused Pinoy tourists’ confidently brought the illegal drugs, adding that under Taiwanese law, the two may be punished with life imprisonment or the death penalty.

“Kaya nagtataka ako ang tapang naman ng mga taong ito. Under Taiwanese law, sa ganoong bigat at sa dami ng high-grade heroin Maaaring humantong sa life or death penalty,” he said.

The Pinoy tourists, according to the MECO head, came from Macau and were arrested upon arrival at Kaohsiung International Airport.

He said the two will still need to be properly investigated despite the confession, and legal assistance will be provided for them until proven guilty.

“Umamin na yun isa, pero yung isa hindi. Pero kahit hindi ka umamin, iimbestigahan ka pa rin,” Bello mentioned.

Moreover, the MECO head said that the Taiwanese government’s investigating body has yet to release the result of the investigation.

“Hindi pa nilalabas ng investigating body ng Taiwanese government. Ang ginawa namin agad, kasama ang opisyales ng DMW, binigyan natin sila ng legal assistance. Hopefully, malaman natin ang katotohanan," he said.