Abortion drug supplier nabbed

MANILA, Philippines – The alleged supplier of abortion drugs among herbal vendors in Quiapo and Sta. Cruz districts in Manila was arrested in a buy-bust operation yesterday morning.

Marissa Tolentino, 56, herbal vendor, of Sta. Cruz, Manila, was identified by at least three vendors recently arrested for selling abortifacients as their source of Cytotec pills, an anti- ulcer drug commonly used by pregnant women to induce abortion, according to Sta. Cruz police station chief Superintendent James Afalla.

Deputy station commander Chief Inspector Alex Navarrete conducted a buy-bust operation yesterday morning wherein he was able to purchase with a marked P500 six Cytotec tablets from Tolentino. When frisked, Tolentino yielded six more tablets of the abortion pills. Tolentino admitted distributing Cytotec tablets among other herbal vendors on a consignment basis, but did not name her source.

Navarrete said Tolentino uses her herbal medicines as front for her illegal activities. Tolentino said she sells abortion pills to augment her earnings, selling Cytotec at P70 per tablet where she got a commission of P20.

“Pregnant women approach me or the other vendors asking for abortion pills. But we do not really recommend them unless the buyer is insistent,” Tolentino said in Filipino.

Navarrete told The STAR that at least three influential personalities have called him up interceding in behalf of Tolentino but he turned them down.

Quiapo parish priest Monsignor Clemente Ignacio and pro-life groups have denounced the rampant selling of abortion drugs around the Quiapo church.

Afalla, who had just been assigned to his post, had vowed to rid the area of vendors of abortion drugs.