‘Drug queen’ bolts jail

An alleged member of the 14K drug syndicate bolted out of the jail of the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s Narcotics Group in Camp Crame, Quezon City yesterday morning.

Narcotics head, Chief Superintendent Reynor Gonzales, and his men were tightlipped over the mysterious circumstances of the reported escape of Rosalia Manansala, 56, also known as "Mama Rose."

Manansala is believed to be one of the contacts of the international drug syndicate in the country.

Police said Manansala is facing a non-bailable offense after she was arrested for possession of about 489 grams of shabu last month while on board her vehicle along the North Expressway in Bulacan.

Sources said Manansala escaped after she sawed off the grills of the detention cell in the Narcotics Group headquarters located at the farthest part of PNP Headquarters, near the firing range.

Manansala escaped during the watch of duty officer PO3 Felipe Fernandez.

Police are investigating the link between Manansala’s escape and a robbery by unidentified men in a courtroom in Mamburao, Mindoro last Sunday night. In the Mamburao heist, raiders took about 46.6 kilos of shabu worth P93.2 million from the court’s vault, which was evidence against two big time Chinese traffickers arrested during a foiled drug landing in the province. – Christina Mendez