(UPDATE2) Police commander sacked over shabu tiangge raid
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 06/19/2009 11:17 AM
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Manila - National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa on Friday ordered the relief of a Pasig City police commander hours after anti-narcotics agents raided the infamous Mapayapa Compound shabu tiangge near the city hall.
Verzosa said Chief Inspector Roy Bugton, commander of the Pasig City police's community precinct 4, has been administratively relieved and an investigation for his apparent neglect of duty has also been ordered.
Bugton's relief came hours after joint teams from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Armed Forces' National Capital Region Command raided Mapayapa Compound along F. Soriano Street, Barangay Sto. Tomas and seized P3-million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) from Amin Buratong's three-story home.
At least 100 agents of PDEA and soldiers entered Buratong's home around 8 a.m. and seized at least 300 grams of shabu placed in five plastic packs.
PDEA spokesman Derric Carreon said the raid was conducted after PDEA received reports that Buratong's alleged shabu tiangge has been reopened. The alleged shabu tiangge, where shabu was sold at retail prices to drug dependents, was located near the raided house.
The PDEA had raided the shabu sanctuary in February 2006, where at least 100 people were arrested and several grams of shabu were seized. The drug market was operating right under the nose of the Pasig City local government and the police.
The shabu tiangge was raided again in June 2007.
Buratong, who underwent plastic surgery to avoid arrest, was nabbed several months after the first raid. He is detained at the National Bureau of Investigation.
Question Mayor Eusebio
Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Chairman Vicente Sotto III urged Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno to look into the possible filing of an administrative case against Pasig City Mayor Roberto "Bobby" Eusebio due to the latest shabu tiangge raid in the city.
"Kapag ang mga lugar mo ay notorious na, ibig sabihin mayroon ka nang deriliction of duty. May kapabayaan na. Palagay ko panahon na para kumilos si Secretary Puno diyan at ipatawag niya si Mayor Eusebio," Sotto told radio dzMM.
Sotto said he and Puno had an agreement that local chief executives should be made answerable for the lingering shabu activity in their municipalities, just like what is happening in Pasig City.
Eusebio, meanwhile, said the local government has been actively fighting illegal drugs.
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