‘Shabu’ worth P500k came from Bilibid, says drug dealer in Batangas

The alleged leader of an illegal drug group in Batangas province said they were getting the supply of shabu (crystal meth) from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

Ruel Casao, 47, and Warren Villena, 41, were arrested in an entrapment operation around 7 p.m. Thursday in Barangay Bolbok, Batangas City. 

Police recovered from the suspects 80 grams of suspected shabu, packed in plastic bags, worth about P540,000.

This was so far the biggest drug haul seized in a police operation in Batangas since the Duterte administration launched its anti-drugs campaign in 2016.

Batangas City police chief Lt. Col. Sancho Celedio, in a phone interview Friday, said Casao appeared to be a leader and “distributor” of the drug supply in the southern parts of the province.

“In his initial statement (to the police, Casao) said (the drugs) came from inside Bilibid,” Celedio said.

“Drug lords” jailed at the NBP in Muntinlupa City are said to be in control of drug trafficking. 

President Duterte in 2016 said the drug problem remained rampant inside the penitentiary.

Celedio said the entrapment operation took off from an anonymous tip to the police. 

Police recently arrested a man, who eventually revealed Casao’s supposed shipment on Thursday.

Celedio said the group targeted electronic game hubs, “where there are usually big crowds,” as trading spots to distribute the drugs to their couriers./lzb