3 arrested in Makati condo drug raid

MANILA, Philippines - Three persons were arrested during an anti-drug raid at a condominium unit in Makati City before dawn yesterday, resulting in the recovery of tablets containing a mixture of shabu, ecstasy and Chinese viagra. 

The confiscated contraband has a street value of around P1 million, said lawyer Jacquelyn de Guzman, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-National Capital Region director.

Fortune Sarmiento, Edmon Macapinlac and Gio Ledesma were arrested during the raid at a unit at Makati Prime Tower in Poblacion, Makati at past 1 a.m.

De Guzman said the three had been renting the unit for only four days when the raid was conducted. 

She said the target of the operation was Sarmiento, who reportedly moonlights as an  entertainment writer. 

According to De Guzman, what they ordered was only 100 capsules of the illegal drugs worth around P300,000. 

When the three were arrested, they were allegedly in the process of putting the mixture into about 300 more capsules, De Guzman said.

Last week, six people believed to be involved in Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel were arrested in The Luxe Residences and One Serendra in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig and on Gramercy Residence in Makati City.

NBI targets Mexicans

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is now going after Mexicans, who were reportedly bringing in illegal drugs into the country.

Deputy director for investigative services Ruel Lasala said the bureau obtained a list of names of Mexican couriers from the suspects they arrested last week.

The suspects were reportedly maintaining kitchen-type illegal drug laboratories. Seized from them were shabu, cocaine and MDMA, another stimulant similar to ecstasy, with a street value of P100 million.

According to Lasala, some of these suspects said Mexicans would fly into the Philippines to deliver these goods to them.

Meanwhile, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone urged the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Bureau of Immigration to be vigilant against members of Mexican and Colombian drug syndicates and other foreign drug traffickers.

“Our embassies and consulates should thoroughly screen visa applicants with dubious backgrounds. While we need to attract tourists and investors, we should also be on guard against undesirable aliens,” he said.  â€“ With Jess Diaz