P160 M worth of shabu ingredient seized

Combined elements of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) apprehended two suspected drug pushers and recovered P160 million worth of ephedrine, a primary ingredient in the manufacture of shabu, yesterday.

However, the alleged supplier, a high ranking police official, and another suspect eluded arrest.

NBI Acting Director Nestor Mantaring said charges were filed against captured suspects Samsodin Pamantar, 31, alias Allan, and Romeo Alac, 27, alias Miyong, both from Manila, for violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Authorities are now hunting Police Inspector Roderick Baguno, who was previously assigned at the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) Anti-Transnational Crimes Division (ATCD), and is now with the PNP-Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6) or Western Visayas.

PNP-CIDG Superintendent Benjamin delos Santos, who was tasked to lead the manhunt for Baguno, said they received information that the suspect has returned to his home base in Iloilo. They have requested PRO6 to keep him in custody.

"We are conducting a follow-up investigation, in coordination with the NBI-Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force (AIDTF), to find out if the ephedrine allegedly being sold by Baguno is part of the drug haul in the 2005 raid in Quezon City and to identify other people involved in the pilferage," said Delos Santos.

The PNP has also recommended the filing of administrative charges against Baguno.

Law enforcement agencies believe that Baguno might have had access to a large quantity of ephedrine when he was still with the ATCD.

Sometime in June last year, the ATCD-CIDG raided a townhouse in Quezon City and confiscated P1.6 billion worth of raw materials and shabu precursors.

Among those seized were 40 sacks and 27 boxes of white crystalline believed to be ephedrine. These were brought to the PNP Crime Laboratory for safekeeping.

However, Delos Santos admitted that they have yet to determine if all the seized items were turned over to the custodian. The substance may have been sold back to the streets.

He explained that the suspect could have secretly taken some of the confiscated illegal substance before or after it was turned over to the PNP Crime Laboratory.

NBI-AIDTF commander Regional Director Ruel Lasala said that ephedrine, a white odorless alkaloid that is used to enlarge the passages in asthma attacks, is brought in from India and China.

Last May, NBI Deputy Director for Intelligence Service Edmund Arugay received information that a certain Omar based in Quiapo was selling two sacks of ephedrine for P1.5 million.

The NBI-AIDTF and Reaction, Arrest and Interdiction Division (RAID) pursued this lead. A poseur-buyer contacted Omar, who said that he is willing to sell the items for a lower price if he would buy from him again. He reportedly bragged that he could produce 100 more sacks of ephedrine.

NBI-Raid Head Agent Roel Bolivar said it took them two weeks before Omar and the police asset reached an agreement.

On June 5, a car parked in front of Baguno’s house unloaded two sacks of ephedrine.

The police official and his friend Alac were allegedly later seen boarding a taxicab with the merchandise. They made a stop-over at SM Manila and traded places with Omar and Pamantar, who went to the meeting place, while Baguno and Alac went home.

At 2 p.m. the NBI and PDEA agents were on stand by at the corner of M. Dela Quinta and Globo de Oro Streets in Quiapo. After the pay off, wherein the poseur buyer handed the 14 pieces of P500 marked money mixed with newspaper cutouts, they approached the suspects but only managed to apprehend Pamantar. Omar eluded arrest.

They conducted a follow-up operation along F. Munoz Street. in San Andres.

"But our pursuit was hampered by a lot of curious onlookers in the area and Baguno was like"Robinhood" in their area. He managed to escape by passing through the sidestreets," Bolivar said.

Results of laboratory tests showed that the two sacks contained N-methyl Ephedrine Hydrochloride with a total gross weight of 108 kilograms.

Bolivar, on the other hand, said they are now speculating that the continuous operations of the government against illegal drugs have resulted in the resurgence of the cheaper substitute for shabu called "wata" or the "walang tama".

Five grams of shabu cost P25,000 to P30,000, while "wata" can be bought for P6,000 to P10,000.

Lasala said this is not the first time that "wata" has appeared in the drug market.

"Every now and then when there is a shortage in the supply of high grade shabu in the market, "wata" re-appears. This is an indication that the continuous drug raids, confiscations and exposures of drug laboratories lead to shortage," he said.

However, the two NBI officials said there is no concrete component for "wata" and they would first have to conduct test-buys.

The drug manufacturers make do with whatever ingredients are available.They even mix shabu with either ephedrine, baking soda, bathroom deodorizer, menthol candies, or tawas.

"Wata" users said they feel suffocated and experience an irritation in the throat and nose.