Cop: I did not see actual purchase of ingredients

An official from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency yesterday admitted that he did not see the actual purchase of the main ingredients used in the manufacture of shabu when he conducted surveillance on the operations of the shabu laboratory raided in barangay Umapad, Mandaue City, almost two years ago.

Despite this, Supt. Adzhar Albani said he included it in his affidavit when he applied for a search warrant at the Regional Trial Court in Quezon City, which was made the basis of the raid last September 24, 2004.

Albani said he has other reasons why he included palladium chloride, barium chloride, pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, which are main ingredients in the manufacture of shabu, in his application for search warrant before Quezon City executive judge Natividad Dizon.

Albani, who was again presented yesterday for cross-examination during the continuation of the trial of the shabu 11, said that he only saw one of the accused, Hung Chin Chang alias Simon Lao, order acetone from Far Eastern Drugs located along Osmeña Boulevard during surveillance.

Albani admitted that under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act the drug store should have a permit from PDEA before it is allowed to sell acetone in large quantities and the people behind the shabu laboratory purchased 95 pails of acetone from Far Eastern Drugs in September 2004, which was delivered to a rented warehouse in Lopez Jaena St. on September 1, 3 and 5.

The compliance and regulatory division of PDEA has been notified of the possible violation of the drug store.

Albani said that the successful operation in Cebu was because of the help of a police asset, Mortesa Tamadoni, who was able to infiltrate the operation of the syndicate.

One of the defense lawyers, Hector Fernandez, tried suggesting that the police might have just "induced" all of the accused into operating the shabu laboratory through its asset, but this theory was quickly shot down by judge Marilyn Yap.

Albani will again face the court this afternoon as there are four other defense lawyers who are yet to cross-examine him.

Joint operatives of PDEA from Manila and Cebu busted the shabu laboratory in Mandaue City last September 2004, which led to the arrest of Joseph Yu alias Joseph Tiu or Ramon Uy Lim; Hung Chin Chang alias Andy Ang/Anthony Ang or Simon Lao, Siew Kin Weng, Liew Kam Song, Lin Li Ku, Bao Xiafu, Wu Tiao Li, Tao Fei, Lui Bo, Allan Yap Garcia and Joseph Lopez.

Calvin Tan, the alleged financier, was later extradited to the Philippines after his arrest in Hong Kong a few days later. - Fred P. Languido/BRP