Bali drug accused and Melbourne nightclub figure William Cabantog used cocaine to ‘eliminate’ anxiety: lawyer

Melbourne nightclub figure William Cabantog has “admitted” to the cocaine found in his pants pocket in Bali, revealing that he used the drug to cope with anxiety, his lawyer says. It comes as police continue searching for his mysterious foreign dealer.

Bali drug accused William Cabantog has told police that he used cocaine to cope with anxiety, as investigators continue to hunt for his foreign dealer.

Mr Cabantog’s lawyer, Ida Bagus Gumilang Galih Sakti, told the Herald Sun that the Melbourne nightclub figure had previously sought treatment for his anxiety.

He was allegedly nabbed with cocaine in his pants pocket when police swooped on Canggu’s Lost City nightclub last month.

He faces 12 years in a Bali prison, alongside the nightclub’s manager, Melbourne man David Van Iersel.

William Cabantog (left) being escorted by police. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro

Mr Galih revealed that Mr Cabantog had “admitted that he was caught with cocaine”.

“He did it to eliminate anxiety disorders,” he told the Herald Sun.

“William had experienced some kind of anxiety disorder and he had sought treatment for it in Australia.”

Despite being behind bars in police cell for more than three weeks, including on his 36th birthday, Mr Galih said his client was “healthy”.

He is preparing an application to have Mr Cabantog assessed for rehabilitation, weeks after Mr Van Iersel’s lawyer flagged the same move.

But police confirmed last week that they had not yet received Mr Van Iersel’s application.

Mr Cabantog ‘paraded’ by police on July 23. Photo: J.P. Christo

And Mr Cabantog before his dramatic arrest. Picture: Supplied

The bid could open the door for the Aussies’ charges to be downgraded and the maximum prison sentence reduced to four years.

It comes as police continue to hunt for the “foreigner” with the initial N, from whom Mr Cabantog and Mr Van Iersel claimed to have bought cocaine.

Denpasar police investigations unit chief Mikael Hutabarat said investigators “need time” to track the alleged dealer.

He said it was difficult to request any “immigration prevention” because police did not know the foreigner’s full name.

“The suspect only knows nicknames,” Mr Hutabarat said.

David Van Iersel is led back to his cell after more questioning at Denpasar police station on Monday. Picture: Wayan Nambi Putra

Investigators again questioned Mr Van Iersel for two hours on Monday, as they work to complete their case file.

It is expected that both the men’s files could be forwarded to prosecutors later this week.

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“We examined David because there is still information from him that we need to complete the file,” Mr Hutabarat said on Monday.

Police were initially able to detain the men for 20 days after their arrest on July 19 but applied for a 40-day extension as that deadline loomed.

Investigators will now need to “hand them over to the prosecutor for trial” by mid-September.

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Originally published as Bali drug accused and Melbourne nightclub figure William Cabantog used cocaine to ‘eliminate’ anxiety: lawyer