Not all drug suspects die, says Bato

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa (center) with Metro Manila police chief Senior Supt. Oscar Albayalde and Eastern Police District chief Senior Supt. Romulo Sapitula present to the media packs of “shabu” confiscated in a buy-bust operation in Pasig City.

See? They’re alive.

Proving that not all drug suspects get killed, Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa on Friday presented to the media three big-time drug dealers arrested in buy-bust operations in the cities of Taguig and Pasig.

“Look, we confiscated many packs of ‘shabu’ and a gun but they are alive. That only means they did not resist arrest,” De la Rosa said at a press conference in Camp Crame.

He then told the media: “Dapat makita niyo na hindi lahat ng ginagawa namin dito patayan,” addressing criticisms of human rights’ violation as the number of drug-related killings grew every day.

After the media briefing, De la Rosa put his right hand over the head of the suspects and prayed over them.

De la Rosa, along with Metro Manila police chief Senior Supt. Oscar Albayalde and Eastern Police District chief Senior Supt. Romulo Sapitula, presented Saadodin Badron, Sukarno Bansil and Mahatir Malaco, who were arrested in separate operations.

A total of eight kilograms of high-grade shabu (metamphetamine hydrochloride) with an estimated value of more or less P50 million were seized by the police.

Badron, a native of Marawi City, was arrested 3:10 p.m. along Marcos Highway in Pasig City after a weeklong surveillance operation. Police confiscated six kilograms of shabu placed in several plastic bags inside a blue backpack.

Meanwhile, Bansil, 37, and and Malaco, 23, both from Taguig City, were nabbed in a buy-bust operation along C5 road in Taguig. Police recovered at least one kilogram of shabu, one .45-cal. pistol and eight pieces of live ammunition.

Dela Rosa said drug dealers were being more careful now that the police had intensified its campaign against illegal drugs.

“Nag-iingat sila. Pero kahit anong ingat nila, natitimbog sila dahil magagaling mga pulis natin,” he said.

He said the prices of drugs in the streets went up as the supply decreased. “Tumataas na dahil nahihirapan na sila magbenta,” De la Rosa added.