Marikina cops end up with tawas in drug bust

MANILA, Philippines -  Two kilos of a crystalline powder seized by Marikina police officers in a drug bust turned out to be alum, not shabu, an official said yesterday.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Nicanor Bartolome has ordered an investigation to determine if the evidence had been properly handled by the local police.

A team headed by Chief Inspectors Ganaban Ali and Teodulo Armada conducted a buy-bust operation against a certain Robert in Barangay Nangka last Dec. 16, based on a tip from Armada’s informant.

The suspect escaped on board a black Isuzu D-Max with a “for registration” leaving behind what the police officers thought were two kilos of shabu with a street value of P10 million.

The four plastic bags of crystalline powder were immediately turned over to Chief Inspector Lourdeliza Cejes, head of the Eastern Police District crime lab for examination. The powder was identified to be alum or tawas, often used as an extender for shabu. A palm-sized pack of tawas costs P10.

Marikina City police chief Senior Superintendent Romeo Magsalos discarded speculations that evidence might have been switched because the drug bust was covered by media, including the marking and turnover of evidence to the crime laboratory. 

Magsalos, nevertheless, directed Ali and Armada to appear before any investigating body created by Bartolome to probe the incident.