Arroyo a no-show at shabu lab photo-op

Sleepy and tired agents of the Presidential Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and members of the Parañaque City police initially waited in excitement yesterday when they learned that President Arroyo was to visit a shabu laboratory touted as the biggest so far that they have raided.

As the hours progressed, the excitement waned and the waiting turned into agony, especially for those who just wanted to go home and sleep after almost 24 hours of work. In the end, it did not matter to the helpless PDEA operatives and policemen whether the President would visit or not.

A staff of the Malacañang’s Media Affairs Relations Office (MARO) told The STAR the President’s schedule yesterday did not include a visit to the alleged shabu laboratory on 19929 Hemlock st., Executive Heights Subdivision in Parañaque City. A Malacañang official said he could not disclose Mrs. Arroyo’s schedule for security reasons.

Earlier yesterday, police authorities informed The STAR that the President would inspect the laboratory at around 6 p.m.

Mrs. Arroyo arrived yesterday from a trip to the United States and Mexico. Perhaps, she was too exhausted to do another photo opportunity, or plainly busy preparing for another overseas trip.

In a telephone interview, a PDEA source said the weary men had bravely stayed put because of the supposed President’s visit.

"This is the biggest activity of the PDEA, so it’s expected that she would come here," the source said.

PDEA director general Anselmo Avenido waited for the President at the crime scene, the source said.

"Why do you think the PDEA (men) are still here? We’re not here to secure the laboratory. That’s the job of the local police," the source said.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Jose Gutierrez Jr., Southern Police District director, said he was informed earlier yesterday that Mrs. Arroyo was to visit the laboratory.

Around noon yesterday, The STAR saw four K-9 units roaming around the shabu laboratory. PDEA operatives said the dogs were deployed at the shabu laboratory to look for illegal drugs that could be stashed somewhere.

However, the policemen appeared not to be genuinely enthusiastic about plans of the President to visit the laboratory.

One said it was okay to see the President, but he wanted to rest and sleep.

When told that the President might not visit at all, another policeman said, "Thank you. Now we can rest after working."

The STAR source said members of the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) stayed at the laboratory the entire day yesterday, not to wait for the President but for the results of the tests conducted by the Camp Crame laboratory on the white crystalline substance found at the site.

The source said Camp Crame had informed them that a blackout hampered work at the laboratory at around 10 a.m. yesterday while the tests were being conducted.

Camp Crame chemists had to repeat the testing processes.