Drug suspect commits suicide inside cell

One of four arrested drug pushers, who revealed to lawmen the existence of a mini shabu laboratory in Muntinlupa City, committed suicide last Monday inside his cell at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.

The body of Joselito Vidal, 39, of Baclaran, Parañaque City, was discovered by his jailers at the Regional Anti-Drug Special Operations Task Force (RAIDSOTF) detention cell at about 5:50 p.m.

Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., intelligence chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said Vidal hanged himself with a nylon cord, which he attached to the window grill of the detention cell.

Rojas said duty jailer SPO1 Gerardo Rivera sought the assistance of the nearby NCRPO health service, but SPO4 Zenaida Destreza pronounced Vidal dead on arrival.

The NCRPO intelligence chief said elements of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), headed by Senior Inspector Armin Guerrero, conducted a field laboratory examination for the technical aspect of the investigation.

Vidal, along with Raymond Viray, 30, Michael Valencia, 25, and a minor were arrested last April 9 during a buy-bust operation by a RAIDSOTF team headed by Chief Inspector Serafin Monteclaro near a fastfood restaurant in Baclaran, Parañaque.

The four suspects were collared after Viray handed over 88 grams of shabu to an undercover officer.

During tactical interrogation, Viray and his cohorts told Monteclaro about the shabu laboratory operating in Muntinlupa City.

Armed with a search warrant, RAIDSOTF agents raided the lab and seized containers and bottles containing ephedrine and other raw materials used in manufacturing shabu.

Rojas said the mini laboratory could manufacture between five to 10 kilos of shabu in one cooking session.

However, the raiders failed to arrest the financier, a certain Salie Jahil Edris, who is now the subject of an NCRPO manhunt.

The NCRPO filed last Monday illegal possession of shabu ingredients and paraphernalia before the Muntinlupa City prosecutor’s office.

The RAIDSOTF also filed drug pushing charges against Vidal and his companions before the Parañaque City prosecutor’s office

Rojas said Vidal and his cohorts were awaiting a commitment order from the Parañaque City prosecutor handling their case, when the suicide was discovered.

Vidal had been visited by his mother in his cell, Rojas said.

"Sinabihan siya ng nanay niya na kaya siya nakakulong dahil sa masamang ginagawa niya. Kaya maaring naging dahilan iyon para kitlin niya ang kanyang buhay," he said.

Vidal’s fellow detainees claimed that the victim became depressed after his mother left the cell.

Rojas said his three cellmates were escorted out for errands, leaving Vidal alone in the cell.