Shabu safehouse yields 400 kilos

Five hours before President Arroyo was to deliver her State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Anti-Illegal Drug-Special Operation Task Force (AID-SOTF) conducted another raid that led to the discovery of P2.8 billion worth of shabu and ingredients from the house of suspected drug lord Jackson Dy in Parañaque City.

In what could be cited as another accomplishment by her administration, Mrs. Arroyo and AID-SOTF presented to members of the media the 41-year-old Dy, whose real name is Li Yan Lan, his wife Wang Li Na and another Chinese national Li Tian Hua along with the 16 styrofoam boxes containing 400 kilos of shabu and a ton of ephedrine.

PNP Deputy Director General for Administration Edgar Aglipay, concurrent AID-SOTF head, led the raiding team in a raid on a three-story townhouse at the Marina Bay Homes, Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City.

The raiders served the search warrant issued by Executive Judge Jansen Rodriguez of the Parañaque City Municipal Trial Court.

"Since the AID-SOTF started last month, we have already accomplished eight raids against illegal drugs, we have neutralized two suspected ‘big fish,’ drug lords Benito Sy and Jackson Dy," Aglipay said.

Superintendent Federico Laciste, project coordinator of AID-SOTF, said Dy bought the Unit B-105 of the Marina Bay Homes some three months ago for P7 million.

The house, which they placed under surveillance in the last two weeks appeared to be abandoned. There were few pieces of furniture and appliances. Only two rooms appeared to have been occupied.

Laciste said it was necessary for authorities to bring the three Chinese suspects to Dy’s house to Manila Bay Homes yesterday "so they can be present when we actually serve the search warrant and erase any doubt that we planted evidence."

"We are just making sure that we do this properly so that the case we would be filing against them would not be dismissed due to technicality," he added.

From the garage, the AID-SOTF officers in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Parañaque police and barangay leaders, seized 400 kilos of shabu worth P800 million and more than a ton of ephedrine which could be made into shabu worth P2 billion.

Superintendent Nelson Yabut of AID-SOTF said the shabu was placed inside "Ko Shan Tea" packs "so the drugs won’t be detected by Customs officials when they are exported to other countries."

The drug busters said Dy has been engaged in the illegal activity for 15 years now, expanded his business nationwide and nearby countries as well.

Last Saturday, raiders seized four cars including a Jaguar and 1.6 tons of ephedrine from one of the three townhouses and a condominium which Dy bought in Lancaster Townhomes in Pasay City.

On July 24, authorities raided Dy’s house in Tanza, Cavite where they discovered a yacht, a speedboat, two jet skis and a shabu laboratory. Dy was arrested after the Bureau of Immigration (BI) issued a mission order against him.

Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo earlier said, they have already filed charges against Dy, whom they considered an undesirable and undocumented alien.

Meanwhile, Parañaque Mayor Joey Marqez said he is pleased by the actions taken by the PNP in ridding the country of illegal drugs. "It is good. They are flushing them out."

He also said that despite two major drug safehouses found in his city, he has no plan to request for a new chief of police. He defended his current police chief Senior Superintendent Ronald Estilles, saying the local police could not possibly penetrate all the subdivisions, which all have tight security.

Two weeks ago, AID-SOTF raided a shabu laboratory in Merville Subdivision reportedly owned by Sy.

"So far I am very happy with the results. The raids were conducted in full coordination with the local police. We cannot just get in because of the exclusive nature of the subdivisions," Marquez said.

The mayor added that the local government, in partnership with barangay leaders and Estilles, is making arrangements to meet with the homeowners of the more than 140 subdivisions in Parañaque to solicit their support in combating illegal drugs.

"We will inform them on how to spot if there are illegal drug pushers in their community. They should encourage those settling or renting in their subdivision to be registered with their associations," he added.