Pubdate: Thu, 30 Jun 2005
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Philippine Daily Inquirer
Contact:  http://www.inquirer.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1073
Author: Anthony Allada
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Rodrigo+Duterte
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Summary+Execution
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

COPS ARREST SUSPECTED DRUG LORD IN DAVAO RAID

DAVAO CITY-Authorities here arrested on Tuesday the alleged owner of a
shabu laboratory that lawmen raided in Cavite in July 2003.

Sze Man-Pen, alias Benito Sy or Sze, a 60-year-old Chinese national,
whose last known address was New York Street, Merville Subdivision in
Paranaque City, was arrested at his rented house in Do?a Paz
Subdivision in Km 10, Sasa here around 9 a.m.

Agents of the Philippine National Police's Regional Intelligence
Office (PNP-RIO), Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID), and
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested him.

Supt. Wilkins Villanueva, PDEA director for Southern Mindanao, said
Sy, who carries a bounty of P500,000, was arrested based on a warrant
issued by Judge Reuben de la Cruz of the Regional Trial Court Branch
18 in Silang, Cavite on Oct. 16, 2003.

He said that soon after Sy's shabu laboratory was raided in Cavite,
the suspected drug lord fled Luzon with his family.

Villanueva said Sy was in the fish trading business while he was based
in Davao City.

Benjamin Lao, BID regional alien control officer, said that aside from
his alleged involvement in illegal drugs, Sy is also an undocumented
alien.

Senior Insp. Roland Agohob, RIO chief, said it took them a month of
preparation before Sy was arrested.

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who presented Sy to reporters, said it would
have been better if the suspected drug lord had been killed.

"I actually prefer him dead than be captured," he said during
Wednesday's presentation of the suspected drug lord.

Duterte said the problem about suspects arrested alive is that the
government has to spend for their transportation, food and other expenses. 
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