SHABU MARKET, KILLING FIELDS

THE flea market for shabu that was open 24 hours a day before it was
uncovered was also used by criminal syndicates as a graveyard for
salvage victims, including at least two girls, police revealed yesterday.

Investigators connected with the Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operations
Task Force (AID-SOTF) reportedly received reliable information that
the shabu market complex was a virtual killing fields.

AID-SOTF commander Marcelo Ele Jr. said the syndicates that were
behind the shabu tiangge were also killing police assets and using the
shabu compound as the victims' graves.

"Reports kept on pouring in since we raided the drug den last Feb.
10," he said. "We are now in the second phase of the investigation of
the killing fields angle."

Ele said even Philippine National Police chief Arturo Lomibao has
informed him that two girls were believed killed at the shabu market
just before the raid.

It was also learned that the Channel 7 "Imbestigador" program was
about to expose the shabu compound but was unable to pursue the new
angle after an asset suddenly went missing under mysterious
circumstances.

Ele disclosed the police plan to excavate the 1,900-square-meter
Mapayapa compound to confirm whether it was indeed used as the
graveyard for salvage victims.

"We will excavate the area and see if we can recover the remains of
victims," he said.

Operatives of the AID-SOTF and a Special Weapons and Tactics team
swopped down on the compound a week ago and arrested more than 300
persons, including women and minors.

The compound was later ordered demolished by the Pasig City
government, prompting criticisms that it was in a hurry to destroy
what could have been a source of evidence.

The shabu tiangge was located at the back of the Mutya ng Pasig Public
Market and some 500 meters from the Pasig City Hall and the Eastern
Police District headquarters on Caruncho Avenue.

There were at least 40 shanties inside used as drug dens, entertaining
buyers and users of the prohibited drug on a 24-hour basis.

The raiding team discovered an elaborate maze of shanties and cubicles
where shabu sessions were held and the contraband openly sold.

Police were taken aback at the shameless and open trading of the
addictive drug, with one shop even named as Shabu-Shabu Restaurant.

Others offered free tastes while most shops displayed price lists in
menu boards for different amounts of metamphetamine hydrochloride, or
shabu.

Customers were lured with extra services, including liquor and the
choice of videokes or rock 'n roll music.

Police confiscated suspected shabu repacked in small plastic sachets
as well as assorted drug paraphernalia.