PASIG LAWMAKER PINS MAYOR ON SHABU MART

Rep. Robert Jaworski Jr. of Pasig City sees the hasty demolition of
the shanties that made up the shabu bazaar as an attempt by Mayor
Vicente Eusebio to cover up evidence.

Jaworski is waiting for the investigation report from the Anti-Illegal
Drugs-Special Operating Task Force (AID-SOTF) before he files a case
against Eusebio before the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

He said he would charge the mayor with gross inexcusable negligence
and violation of Presidential Decree 1829, which penalizes the
obstruction of apprehension and prosecution of offenders.

The decree carries a penalty of 12 years' imprisonment and perpetual
disqualification from public office.

Eusebio said he had the shanties torn down to prevent the return of
drug pushers and users.

Jaworski strongly opposed the move of the city government to
immediately demolish the shanties in Mayapa Compound in Barangay Santo
Tomas, saying it should have been carried out after the
investigation.

The compound was raided on Friday by a team from AID-SOTF which
rounded up some 300 persons.

The AID-SOTF, which wanted the shanties preserved as evidence, is
itself thinking of pursuing a case against Eusebio.

Justice Secretary Raul M. Gonzalez believes Eusebio committed no crime
in ordering the demolition.

Gonzalez said the police already had gathered enough evidence such as
video footage, the drugs and its equipment and inspection report from
the site.

"It's better to conduct a thorough investigation to identify who is
behind this shabu tiangge than to accuse Mayor Eusebio of covering up
the evidence through the demolition," Gonzalez said.

The newly appointed Northern Police District chief, Director Leopoldo
Bataoil, promised to intensify the barangay intelligence network in
his jurisdiction to prevent the proliferation of shabu bazaars in
Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela.

Bataoil has ordered his chiefs of police to strengthen their gathering
of intelligence to ensure that no incident similar to the shabu bazaar
in Pasig ever happens in their jurisdiction.

Bataoil said it is important that the police know what is happening in
their areas. "It doesn't matter what level of operations they know as
long as they have information about it and they do something about
it," he said.

The police will also cover far-flung areas in the northern district to
ensure that drug pushers do not secure a foothold there.