PDEA: Madrigal family firm may be liable for Ayala Alabang shabu lab

MANILA, Philippines - A property management firm owned by the Madrigal family could be held liable for renting out a one-hectare property in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City to a drug syndicate that used it to set up a shabu laboratory, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said yesterday.

“What is being done by the ones renting the place, the owner should have a shared responsibility,” PDEA director general Jose Gutierrez Jr. said. “In a way, the owner should be aware of what is going on in his property.”

On Friday, PDEA agents raided the compound managed by Fuerte Holdings Inc. and found a “medium-scale” laboratory that could churn out about 10 kilos of shabu every two to three days.

The five Chinese arrested during the raid have undergone inquest proceedings on charges of possession and manufacturing of illegal drugs and possession of equipment used in the manufacture of illegal drugs.

Gutierrez said PDEA’s legal team is still studying if the agency can file charges against Fuerte Holdings, which handles renting out the property. The firm “can’t say they just let (the suspects) do what they wanted,” he said.

The PDEA chief cited that in most cases, alterations or adding new fixtures in a rented house should be done with the permission of the owner. “There should be a level of responsibility (on the part of the owner),” he said.

Gutierrez also called on the company to come forward and explain its side, “and produce documents so we can thresh this out.”

According to Gutierrez, the suspects had occupied the property for about three months, paying P260,000 as rent per month. He said the suspects had occupied another property in the village prior to occupying the compound.