PDEA confirms ‘date rape’ drug in Pasig haul

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confirmed yesterday that the illegal drugs  they confiscated earlier in a buy-bust operation in Pasig contained Ketamine, a “date rape” drug that gained popularity in the early 2000s.

In a phone interview with The STAR, PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said laboratory examination on the more than a hundred caplets seized from Jay Mervin Yambao, 43, contained Ketamine.

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac said Ketamine is a powerful hallucinogen generally used as an anesthetic and animal tranquilizer by veterinarians.

“It has been known to have great potential for abuse as it is used by substance abusers to attain a dissociative ‘out of body’ state or ‘near death’ experience, with neurological effects such as impaired memory, delirium, aggressive or violent behavior, among others,” he said.

Cacdac said Yambao was arrested by PDEA operatives in a buy-bust operation in Barangay De la Paz, Pasig on Feb. 3.

Seized from the suspect were two resealable plastic bags containing 121 pink-colored caplets and 55 blue-colored caplets with a total weight of 113.0562 grams.

Charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be slapped against Yambao.