Makati’s anti-drug chief sacked

Chief drug buster Deputy Director General Edgar Aglipay recommended yesterday the relief of the head of the Makati City police anti-drug unit who was accused of "recycling" shabu.

Aglipay told The Star that SPO4 Arsenio Mangulabnan, chief of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AID-SOT) of the Makati City police station, should be relieved from his post to prevent suspicion of a "whitewash" in the investigation of the case filed against him by Rosalie Geronimo, 28, a drug peddler.

"I’m recommending his (Mangulabnan) relief to prevent him from influencing the outcome of the investigation of the case," said Aglipay, who heads the AID-SOT.

Geronimo, alias Betcha, a resident of 4050 Laperal Compound, Bernardino St., Barangay Guadalupe Viejo, filed a complaint before the office of Senior Superintendent Ronald Simon Sabog charging Mangulabnan of masterminding the proliferation of shabu in Makati City.

In her five-page complaint, Geronimo said Mangulabnan ordered her to sell shabu that they had confiscated from drug suspects during anti-drug operations.

She disclosed that she remits the money to Mangulabnan in his office. But when she refused to continue their illegal business, Mangulabnan allegedly ordered her arrest and charged her with drug pushing.

Geronimo is now languishing at the Makati City jail.

According to Aglipay, administrative and criminal charges would be filed against Mangulabnan once the charges against him is proven. "If he really is behind the recycling of shabu in Makati City, then he would face the full force of the law," said Aglipay.

The Star tried but failed to reach Mangulabnan for comment.

Aglipay is cleansing AID-SOT local units of personnel involved in frame-up, planting of evidence and bangketa operations.

He, however, insisted that Mangulabnan present his side on Geronimo’s accusations. He assured that the city’s anti-drug chief will be reinstated in his post if he will be cleared of the charges.