MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has seized 990 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine or “shabu” worth P6.7 billion, which Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. tagged as the largest drug haul in the country to date.
“This afternoon will be historic in our country; this is probably the biggest drug haul in the history of the Philippines,” said Abalos in a press briefing on Sunday.
“Ito na siguro ang pinakamalaking paghuhuli ng droga sa kasaysayan ng ating bansa. Halos isang toneladang droga, 990 kilograms of shabu, nagkakahalagang about P6.7 billion,” he added.
(This is probably the biggest drug bust in the history of our country. Almost a ton of drugs, 990 kilograms of shabu, worth about P6.7 billion.)
According to PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) Director Narciso Domingo, the drugs were seized in a buy-bust operation conducted at 4:45 p.m. Saturday in Tondo, Manila.
This resulted in the arrest of Ney Saligumba Atadero, 50. During the arrest, arresting officers also discovered documents showing that a police officer from PDEG, identified as M/Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo Jr. was an accomplice of his.
A hot pursuit operation was then conducted at 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, which led to the arrest of Mayo, 48, in Quiapo, Manila.
Two kilos of suspected shabu worth P13.6 million were then confiscated during this arrest.
Meanwhile, another suspected accomplice of the group identified as Juden Francisco, 33, was also nabbed in Rosario, Pasig, along with seven of his cohorts, said Domingo.
The other cohorts were identified as: Lyndon Dionson, 40; Kenneth Dionson, 40; Dindo Cochoco, 28; Ritzel Carballo, 39; Bernardo Yator Corridor, 56; Rodolfo Detalla, 54; and Virgilio Bacus, 37.
Francisco was tagged as one of the top four most wanted suspects in Northern Mindanao for violation of Section 5, Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,” according to Domingo.
PNP chief PGen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., meanwhile, assured the public that one of the suspects’ standing as a police officer will not affect his case, even tagging it as a “breakthrough” as it proves that the PNP does not tolerate any wrongdoings, especially from cops.
“There will be no let-up. We don’t care who gets caught and who gets hurt. For as long as we get all the evidence against any suspect in any crime, we will pursue them until the end,” said Azurin.
“We expect ‘yung pagkakahuli ng ating pulis, kasamahan pa sa PDEG, ay napakalaking breakthrough para sa inyong kapulisan, na ito ay isang halimbawa na we don’t tolerate and will not tolerate any wrongdoing of any policeman under my watch, and of course under the watch of our DILG Secretary,” he added.
(We expect the arrest of our policeman, who is also a PDEG colleague, to be a huge breakthrough for your police force, that this is an example that we do not tolerate and will not tolerate any wrongdoing of any policeman under my watch, and of course under the watch of our DILG Secretary.)
He then expressed hope that Mayo will be able to help the PNP to reveal his other cohorts within the agency, as part of its efforts to cleanse its police force.
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