SENATOR URGES CHARGING OF MAYOR ON 'SHABU MARKET' DEMOLITION

SENATOR Panfilo Lacson is urging the Philippine National Police to
file charges against a city mayor for allegedly running afoul of
anti-drugs law by ordering last Wednesday the demolition of the
so-called one-stop-shop "shabu flea market" in Pasig City.

Lacson said Pasig City Mayor Vicente Eusebio should be charged not
just with obstruction of justice but also for violating the Dangerous
Drugs Act after he ordered the demolition of the Mapayapa Compound in
Sto. Tomas village, which housed the shanties that served as
"restaurants" of illegal drugs.

"Very clearly, very obviously, [Eusebio] violated certain provisions
of the Dangerous Drugs Act as amended. Not only obstruction of
justice. It's very clear that with the demolition, evidence was
destroyed," Lacson said.

Lacson, a former PNP chief, said Eusebio should have cleared the
demolition with police investigators since the compound still
contained evidence like tooters and other drug paraphernalia.

Director Marcelo Ele, chief of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special
Operations Task Force (AID-SOTF), on Wednesday said the demolition
foiled a planned follow-up raid by police to seize additional evidence.

Police raided a compound of some 100 shanties in Pasig City last
Friday and arrested some 300 suspected traders and users of "shabu."

Some of the shanties offer menus, from which drug dependents can order
"shabu" at various quantities. The compound is around 500 meters from
the city government office.