13 fall in Ecstacy den raid

Thirteen persons, most of them believed to be scions of prominent families, including one British and two American nationals, were arrested in a drug raid inside an upscale subdivision in Quezon City Wednesday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced yesterday.

Deputy Director General Edgar Galvante, National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) chief, reported that the anti-drug operation also led to the seizure of 39 pieces of "Ecstacy" pills, one caliber .45 pistol, P77,000 in cash and assorted drug paraphernalia from the suspects.

A Mitsubishi Lancer bearing a fake LTO registration sticker and an unregistered Honda 250 cc motorcycle were also seized by the police raiding team.

Galvante also added that one of the two Americans who were nabbed in the raid is an import player of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

Detained for drug trafficking and drug possession charges were Americans Philip Glass, 34, PBL player Jayson Johnson Jeffrey, of 1103-B Wack Wack Twin Towers, Mandaluyong; 27-year-old British national Steward MacDonald of Unit 1905 Park Chataeu, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

Their Filipino counterparts also nabbed at 28 Ilongot Street, Las Vista Subdivision, Quezon City were Marvin Ducat, his music producer-brother Joseph; Aljor Castro all of said place; Jovy Crispal, 24, of 16 Osorio Street, BF Hones, Parañaque; Anton Garcia, 21, of 141 Swallow St., Green Meadows; Jacqueline Ulnagan, 21, of 1131 A, Dos Castillas, Sampaloc, Manila; Analisa San Juan, 27, of 40 Summit Street, Dreamview, Marikina City; Virgilio Rivas of Iloilo City; Oliver Villar, 28, of Subic Bay, Freeport, Olongapo City and interior designer Mel Santos, 27, of 504 North Western Street, East Greenhills, San Juan.

According to Galvante the raid was carried out by joint police agents from the NCRPO’s Regional Intelligence Division and Metro Manila Drug Enforcement Group (MMDEG) on Ducat’s place on the strength of search warrants issued by Quezon City Executive Judge Monina Zenarosa.

Galvante added that the drug bust operation came after more than a month of surveillance of the reported illegal activities of the suspects.

"More than a month of painstaking surveillance paid off as the raid that was conducted at the "Ecstacy Drug Den" resulted in the arrest of Marvin Ducat, (alleged) leader of the gang engaged in the large-scale distribution of the prohibited drug," Galvante said in his report yesterday to PNP chief Director General Leandro Mendoza.

Originally, according to Galvante, they were able to corner 16 persons inside Ducat’s place which the suspect reportedly converted into a drug haven for well-off customers, but released the other four after they were found out to be simply innocent visitors at the place.

Ecstasy is an expensive prohibited drug and only those in higher circles of the society, who can afford its price, have been hooked to it. — Marvin Sy