Former Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to dismiss several criminal complaints against him.
The charges were filed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Faeldon sought the junking of the cases as he attended the preliminary investigation conducted by a panel of prosecutors at the DOJ.
He was able to attend the proceeding after Senate allowed him to leave his detention facility.
Faeldon is being detained in the Senate after he was cited in contempt for refusing to show up in the Senate hearings on the smuggling of P 6.4-billion worth of shabu that slipped through the BOC last May.
At the DOJ, Faeldon asked prosecutors to throw out PDEA's charges against him due to lack of jurisdiction.
He believes if charges should be filed against him, the proper forum is the Ombudsman.
The prosecutors gave PDEA 5 days to comment on Faeldon's request.
PDEA earlier sought the indictment of Faeldon and 11 BOC officials for alleged conspiracy to import illegal drugs and for allegedly protecting or coddling drug traffickers.
The agency also accused the respondents of obstruction of justice, corrupt practices, negligence and tolerance of illegal activities.
