MANILA, Philippines - The Manila government is set to field special anti-illegal drug marshals in all public schools in the city to ensure that students are protected from the drug menace. Mayor Alfredo Lim, who will lead today's launching of the project at the Ramon Magsaysay High School on Espana Street, said the marshals will be deployed in schools when classes open on June 10. A special task force composed of school personnel, student leaders and parents-teachers' association officials will be organized for the purpose, he said. [continues 133 words]
MANILA POLICE ARRESTED over the weekend two people, including a colleague, who allegedly kidnapped a Chinese-Filipino businessman last month. The suspects, who were presented to Mayor Lito Atienza Monday morning, were identified as PO2 Jeffrey de Guzman, 32, assigned to the District Anti-Illegal Drugs Division of the MPD; and Aurelio Pavo Jr., 28, a tricycle driver from Tondo, Manila. Two of the suspects' alleged cohorts, De Guzman's brother, P02 Clifford de Guzman, assigned to the Quezon City Police District; and Police Insp. Marijon Perez, assigned to Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba, Laguna, remain at large and are the subject of an intense manhunt. [continues 241 words]
It was one rap that Francis Magalona was glad he would not have to dance to. The Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Wednesday acquitted the so-called king of Philippine rap music of possession of illegal drugs. In his decision, Judge Henri Jean-Paul Inting of the RTC Branch 95 said the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt Magalona's guilt. The rapper hosts the noontime TV variety show Eat Bulaga. The judge added that the court had not acquired jurisdiction over Magalona's co-accused, Alfredo De Los Reyes, 34, of Colonado Street, Barangka, Makati City. He remains at large. [continues 105 words]
INSTEAD of spending his twilight years in the company of his family, a 75-year-old man might spend the rest of his life in jail after he was arrested for possession of illegal drugs Friday in Navotas. Police Inspector Ferdinand Balgoa, Navotas Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) chief, identified the suspect as Efren de la Cruz, of Roldan Street, Barangay Tangos. Reports showed that anti-drug policemen arrested Dela Cruz at about 7:30 p.m. at P. Gabriel corner Pascual Streets in Barangay Sip-ac. Prior to that, authorities received information that the suspect was openly selling prohibited drugs in the area. A plastic sachet of the illegal drug shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) was found in De la Cruz's possession, police said. [end]
NAVOTAS Mayor Toby Tiangco Monday cried foul when he learned that he and Valenzuela City Mayor Emmanuel Carlos might be held culpable for the operation of a shabu warehouse and laboratory in their respective jurisdictions. "Does it mean that if there are criminals caught in my turf, it follows that I am the protector?" an upset Tiangco asked. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Department of Interior and Local Government are investigating the mayors to determine if they are culpable. [continues 285 words]
AUTHORITIES on Thursday night raided a "shabu" (crack) warehouse in Navotas town barely three days after a big drug laboratory was discovered in the adjacent town of Valenzuela Monday, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Reynaldo Wycoco said. The warehouse in Navotas contained enough chemicals and other materials to produce shabu worth one billion pesos, Wycoco said. The raid came about after one of the employees of the Valenzuela shabu laboratory informed the NBI that the chemicals used to make the illegal drug were being stored in the warehouse on NorthBay Boulevard in Navotas, he said. [continues 402 words]
