Muntinlupa council to Ayala Alabang officials: Explain shabu labs

MANILA, Philippines - Barangay officials of Ayala Alabang will be asked to explain their security measures before the city council of Muntinlupa next week after three shabu laboratories were found in one of their private subdivisions.

Omar Acosta, city public information chief, said the council met yesterday and are expected to invite the barangay officials by next Monday. “They will be asked to present their solutions to this discovery of shabu laboratories (in Ayala Alabang village),” Acosta said over the phone.

He noted that the village security had been very strict, yet shabu laboratories operated in the area.

As of yesterday, Acosta said the barangay officials have yet to respond to the directive of Mayor Aldrin San Pedro to “explain how the drug labs raided by PDEA were able to operate under their noses.” PDEA refers to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, whose members searched at least three houses in the village in one week.

According to Acosta, while village officials are not “totally blamable” for the incidents, the village is still under their responsibility.

Sludge connects 3 labs

PDEA director general Jose Gutierrez Jr. said yesterday the sludge found in all three Ayala Alabang houses used as shabu laboratories “were the same,” based on an analysis made by the agency’s chemists.

He said this could mean that the three facilities were operated by the same group. On Friday, anti-drug agents raided the houses at 119 Kanlaon street and at 536 Kanlaon Drive. The operations followed a raid on the house at 504 Acacia Avenue on Jan. 6.

Gutierrez said they will have to take over the properties raided pending the investigation of the charges.

He said they are set to meet with the owners of the two properties raided Friday night to ensure that the evidence left behind would not be contaminated.

Gutierrez said the PDEA will look into the contracts entered into by the owners of the properties and those who occupied the two houses to determine if the owners could be held liable.