DRUG SYNDICATE SHELLING OUT MILLIONS IN PROTECTION MONEY?

Police are investigating reports that the drug syndicate behind the
operation of the shabu "tiangge' in Pasig City is shelling out
millions of pesos monthly in protection pay-offs.

Pasig City Rep. Robert "Dodot" Jaworski and Director Marcelo Ele Jr.,
commander of the police Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task
Force (AIDSOTF), admitted they received the said reports.

However, Ele clarified that they have no concrete evidence as yet to
confirm the drug syndicate's "payola." "We are still evaluating the
report. We are gathering evidence and verifying them," said Ele in an
interview.

Ele explained that since his men raided the shabu "tiangge" at the
Mapayapa compound in Barangay Sto. Tomas last Feb. 10, information
pertaining to the protectors of the drug den kept coming to his
office. "We are also investigating who benefitted from the alleged
pay-offs," the AIDSOTF chief said.

Quoting intelligence reports, Jaworski claimed that local government
and police officials were the alleged recepients of the monthly pay-offs.

Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol refused to be dragged into
the issue. "I will let Gen. Ele investigate that report," said Querol.

Querol is investigating the administrative lapses of the Pasig City
police and the EPD for their failure to monitor the shabu
"tiangge"while Ele is looking at the possible involvement of local
government and police officials on the drug syndicate.

The Metro police chief said the raids conducted by Senior
Superintendent Raul Medina on the drug den was not a "zarzuela."
Medina was among the 20 policemen relieved from his post because of
the shabu "tiangge" raid.

"I ordered a thorough check on Medina's report that he arrested 18
drug peddlers and users at the Mapayapa compound and it was confirmed
that the suspects are still locked up in jail," said Querol. "So hindi
zarzuela ang raid niya (his raid is not zarzuela)."

Querol pointed out that the last anti-drug operations conducted by
Medina in the shabu "tiangge" was last Jan. 25. "Noong nag-raid sila
wala pa 'yang mga karatula ng shabu menu doon (When they conducted the
raid, there is no shabu menu posted there yet)," Querol added.

Ele said they failed to recover evidence of pay-offs when they raided
the shabu "tiangge," which has reportedly been operating for several
years now.

"Panay balita lang pero siyempre dapat rin nating imbestigahan (It's
all just news but we need to investigate)," he told The Star.

The AIDSOTF chief admitted they recovered a police uniform inside one
of the shanties in the compound. "We are also verifying who owned the
uniform and whether he was involved in the drug den's operation," said
Ele.

Earlier, Ele said the drug syndicate is being protected by three
policemen from the Pasig City police.

The shabu "tiangge" was ordered demolished by Pasig City Mayor Vicente
Eusebio who claimed that there was a clamor for its demolition from
his constituents.

But Eusebio's action prompted the Senate to order an inquiry to
determine whether the mayor is liable for "obstruction of justice."