The defense attorney and former President of Palau Johnson Toribiong is set to fly to Philippines along with a Palauan journalist to try and extradite Mike Taman who was arrested at Manila airport and detained at custodial facility in Quezon City for alleged possession of methamphetamine.
Toribiong said, “I am volunteering to go. I am leaving on 6th of June in the morning. The clan members [Taman’s clan] are paying for our tickets.”
While assuring that he will talk to the Filipino government lawyers he also added that there is no extradition treaty with the Philippines and the extradition can only be done on a goodwill.
The extradition is also subjected to Palauan government accepting the release of the accused.
Moses Uludong who is a publisher of a newspaper will be accompanying Toribiong as he claims to have connections with the Filipino authorities and hence will be able to communicate well.
According to Uludong, Taman contacted him through a cellphone which was somehow made available to him while he was in custody and told Uludong about the conditions at the new facility he was transferred in.
However, the specifics of what Taman claimed to be severe conditions is not yet known.
Toribiong said, “He[Taman] doesn’t have confidence about his future and he is a nervous wreck.”
The authorities have not yet been contacted.
“I count on Moses to make contact with the appropriate people there. I don’t have any connection in the Philippines” Toribiong added. (By Eshan Kalyanikar)