Drug pusher nabbed for 5th time since 1998

MANILA, Philippines - For the fifth time over the past 11 years, anti-narcotics agents in Baguio City arrested a big-time drug pusher who had somehow managed to walk in and out of jail despite his repeatedly being caught selling illegal drugs.

Tracy Lac-amen, an alleged member of the notorious Ayuyang syndicate operating in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), was nabbed three times for violating Republic Act 6425, the old anti-drug law, and once when the new Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 took effect.

PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago said Lac-amen, alias Bidong, had been on the PDEA’s target list for quite some time.

Members of the agency’s Special Enforcement Team finally caught him selling four sachets of shabu to an undercover agent last Monday in New Lucban, Baguio City.

Records show that Lac-amen was first arrested on March 9, 1998, and then three years later on Jan. 17, 2001, and again on Feb. 12, 2002 all for violating RA 6425.

And shortly after the old anti-drug law was amended and strengthened through the enactment of RA 9165, he was again nabbed in August 2002 for selling illegal drugs.

“I am not sure what happened that enabled him to walk scot-free in the past. But I assure you now, he will be made accountable for his involvement in illegal drug activities… His lucky days are over,” Santiago said.  – With Artemio Dumlao