The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Saturday said they did backtrack investigation and case build-up against Chinese national Xu Zhijian alias Jacky Co and 17 others allegedly involved in the P1.8 billion shabu shipment last March.

In a statement, PDEA said investigation and case build-up began since they discovered 276 kilos of shabu in the Manila International Container Port (MICP) on March 22.

"In the course of the investigation, the name of Jacky Co, a key person of Dragon Wu Syndicate, surfaced because of an affidavit executed by a witness. Since then, we have been building the case/evidence against Jacky Co," PDEA said.

PDEA said in the case of the Chinese national, law enforcers took only two months to accomplish gathering evidence against the suspect. But Senator Panfilo Lacson Jr, in his privilege speech, said the Chinese has left the country.

PDEA filed a criminal complaint against Co and the other suspects before the Department of Justice on Friday.

PDEA said it is performing its mandate "with utmost sincerity and dedication at all times." Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS