Probe ordered on escape of 6 people at shabu lab

Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco ordered yesterday a probe on the mysterious escape of six other suspects from the shabu laboratory in Parañaque City over the weekend.

"I want to get to the bottom of the suspects’ escape," said Velasco when reached for comment on allegations that at least six Chinese-looking persons jumped over the shabu lab wall fence before Parañaque City policemen could move in.

According to Velasco, he is interested to know whether lapses occured on the part of the raiding team which led to the escape of the cohorts of Xuzi Bin Ong, alias Crispin Yu, 36, caretaker of the shabu lab located at 19929 Hemlock Street, Executive Heights Subdivision, Barangay Sun Valley.

Xuzi was arrested at 4:40 a.m. Friday while illegally dumping garbage, which turned out later to be positive of shabu residue.

During tactical interrogation, Xuzi admitted his role to the shabu lab operations and led police to the area resulting to the confiscation of 40 grams of shabu, 68 kilos of ephedrine and sophisticated equipment for the manufacture of illegal drugs. However, Velasco pointed out that it’s too early to say what punishment should be meted out against the lax policemen saying he would entertain his option upon receipt of a written report on the six suspects’ escape.

Tasked by Velasco to investigate the escape report was Chief Superintendent Jose Gutierrez, director of the Southern Police District (SPD) which has jurisdiction over Parañaque City.

Earlier, the Parañaque City policemen claimed that the arrest of Xuzi was the result of a two-month surveillance. But it was not known why the police failed to stop the six suspects from escaping, if they already have the place fully covered.

"Normally, when you conduct surveillance on a certain place, all entry and exit points are fully covered to prevent those inside from escaping," said a police official.

Velasco admitted that the house has a secret passage at the back leading to an open space which is being used as dumping ground of the city’s garbage.

He said it took many hours for the Parañaque policemen to enter the place because of the absence of a search warrant. The warrant issued by Executive Judge Helen Bautista Ricafort of the Parañaque City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 260 arrived at 6 p.m. close to eight hours after Xuzi’s arrest.

The Metro Manila police chief also ordered Gutierrez to conduct relentless operations to arrest the other suspects.

Police strongly suspected that the Chinese triad was behind the operations of the illegal drug laboratory, the fourth to be raided in Metro Manila since President Arroyo tookover in 2001. Xuzi is reportedly fully cooperating in the police effort to identify those who escaped and the leader of the drug syndicate operating the shabu lab, police said.

Meanwhile, Velasco directed Gutierrez to summon former basketball player Teddy Monasterio to shed light on how the drug syndicate managed to rent his house. Xuzi claimed that his employer, a certain Mr. Lee, rented the two-storey mansion of Monasterio, a former La Salle cager, for P70,000 a month.

"What I understand was the house was foreclosed by the bank. But Monasterio should appear for us to clear him this early if he has nothing to do with the house anymore," said Velasco.