Cops seize P120-M shabu in QC raid

Police seized 54 kilos of high-grade shabu worth P120 million and 200 kilos worth of raw materials in a raid on a makeshift laboratory in Loyola Heights, Quezon City yesterday.

Senior Superintendent Nicasio Radovan, head of the Metro Manila Drug Enforcement Group (MMDEG), said the raid resulted in the arrest of seven Chinese nationals and three Filipinos.

Radovan identified the arrested Chinese as Jimmy Chua, 42; Sally Ong, 44; Li Lainar, 45; Li Manchuck, 50; Tom Ruiz Chua, 20; Sam Li Chua and Willy Anson Ang, 29. All were identified through passports indicating that they are from Fujian province in southern China.

Police also arrested Jessielyn Lumusa, 26, and Concepcion Anduhan, 26, both from Bukidnon, who claimed to be housemaids, and Jamil Maramanay, 19.

Radovan said the seizures and arrests were conducted by agents of the MMDEG, Narcotics Group anti-trafficking division and the Western Police District. The agents raided houses at 75 C. Salvador st., Varsity Hills Subdivision, and 15-B Gonzales st., Xavierville Subdivision, both in Barangay Loyola Heights.

Radovan, who led the raiding teams, said the raids was conducted on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Enrico Lanzanas of Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 7 against Jimmy Chua and Sally Ong.

The raiders recovered 50 kilos of shabu and chemicals, like sodium hydroxide, barium sulfate, sodium acetate, acetone and assorted laboratory equipment, from the Salvador street "laboratory" while four more kilos were seized from the Gonzales street residence.

No less than President Arroyo visited the house on Salvador street and inspected the seized evidence along with Interior Secretary Jose Lina and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

Also present during the presidential inspection was Philippine National Police chief Deputy Director General Hermogenes Ebdane, Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director Edgar Aglipay and Central Police District director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Tor.

The President ordered Radovan to immediately file charges against the suspects and Narcgroup officer-in-charge Chief Superintendent Ruben Cabagnot to coordinate with the Bureau of Immigration regarding the Chinese nationals.

Mrs. Arroyo said the raid was the start of a serious effort to rid the country of major crime syndicates.

"We want to show our people that our police, in close coordination with local government officials, are working hard and seriously to curb major crimes," she said.

Belmonte, for his part, said the raid was concrete evidence that the Arroyo administration’s anti-crime drive is beginning to bear fruit and lauded Ebdane for "a job well done."

"The determination of the Arroyo administration to run after drug syndicates has borne fruit," Belmonte said, noting the supportive role the Central Police District played during the raid.

Ebdane said the raid — the first after he was named PNP chief — would only be the start of a continuing campaign against drug trafficking in the country.

"This could be the start of our no-nonsense campaign in neutralizing drug syndicates operating in the country. This is a continuous effort," Ebdane said.

Lina, on the other hand, said the raid was made possible by the cooperation of a newly elected barangay chairman of Barangay Loyola Heights who took note of the goings-on inside the two houses.

Chief Inspector Nelson Yabut, ATD intelligence and operations chief, said that the shabu-making equipment seized during the raid could produce about 50 kilos of shabu each month but was less sophisticated than the equipment seized in a laboratory raided in San Juan in January.

The San Juan raid was the third and largest raid conducted by the Narcgroup and the MMDEG after separate raids on laboratories in Lipa City in Batangas and Pasig City. - With Christina Mendez, Matthew Estabillo