Pubdate: Sun, 13 Feb 2005
Source: People's Journal (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 People's Journal
Contact: http://www.journal.com.ph/contactus.asp
Website: http://www.journal.com.ph/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3381
Author: Alfred Dalizon
Cited: Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency http://www.pdea.gov.ph
Cited: Philippine National Police http://www.pnp.gov.ph
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Summary+Execution
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/racial.htm (Racial Issues)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

VIGILANTES TARGETTING CHINESE DRUG LORDS?

AUTHORITIES are now looking into reports that vigilantes, particularly
those in Cebu and Davao cities, are targetting Chinese nationals
linked to shabu laboratories.

Officials, who demanded anonymity, cited reports that vigilantes are
moving against Chinese drug lords before these can use their money and
connections to wiggle out of drug charges.

"These vigilantes are out to get these drug lords by hook or by crook.
Maybe, they want to send a strong signal that drug traffickers and
manufacturers have no place in the country," a police official said.

"We're looking into that possibility in coordination with the
Philippine National Police. So far, we're establishing the truth about
a report that a Chinese national linked to a shabu lab in Davao City
was executed by vigilantes," said Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
chair Anselmo S. Avenido, Jr.

He was referring to the case of Chinese merchant Joey Kho alias
Edgardo V. Dayrit,40, who was shot to death by still unidentified
gunmen in Davao City last week amid reports linking him to the
operation of a shabu laboratory smashed by authorities in the area
last year.

"That's the report we have received. The victim's name cropped up
during our investigation on the Davao City shabu labs," Avenido said.

Kho, owner of the Dayrit Merchandising in Davao City, was shot dead by
four unidentified men at 7:50 a.m. on Feb. 4 in front of his store at
Monteverde Street.

Other PNP officials confirmed that one of the angles they are looking
into is the possibility that Kho's slaying could be
drug-related.

"We still don't know who killed Mr. Kho but prior to his death, we
were looking into reports that he was involved in the operation of the
Davao City shabu laboratories," an officer who asked not to be
identified said.

PDEA and PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force
operatives under Deputy Director General Ricardo F. de Leon stormed a
shabu lab along McArthur Highway in Dumoy, Davao City on Jan. 31. Six
foreigners said to be operating the lab were killed in the gunfight.

Recovered inside the lab were 76 kilograms of shabu worth P154 million
and assorted shabu-manufacturing ingredient and paraphernalia.

Follow-up raids in the city resulted in the discovery of another shabu
lab in Del Pilar Street in Agdao District and a shabu storage facility
in Bunawan proper.

Kho's assassination came a day after another Chinese national was shot
and seriously wounded in the city.

Ronald Tan Lim, 51, was shot by two motorcycle-riding men at Crossing
Bayabas in Toril District.

Lim was brought to the Davao Doctors Hospital for treatment.
Investigators recovered four caliber .45 casings and two deformed .45
slugs at the scene.

The attacks were the latest to take place in Davao City which has been
notorious for the presence of vigilantes who have killed dozens of
suspected criminal offenders in the past. 
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