La Union shabu lab 'protector'? Razon sacks Dagupan cop chief

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. has ordered the relief of the Dagupan City police chief who was tagged as an alleged protector of a shabu laboratory recently raided in La Union.

Razon tasked Chief Superintendent Raul Castañeda, director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), to personally lead the investigation into the allegation of shabu lab caretaker Dante Palaganas that Senior Superintendent Dionisio Borromeo was the one who allegedly looked for the warehouse in Barangay Binmotobot, Naguilian town where the shabu lab was put up.

Chief Superintendent Romeo Hilomen, Ilocos regional police director, said the investigation stemmed from Palaganas’ allegation that Borromeo was part of their operations.

“The allegation is not yet supported with evidence, so let the investigation take place,” Hilomen told The STAR.

Borromeo, however, denied the accusation and promised to cooperate with the investigators.

Following his administrative relief from his post, Borromeo was assigned to the PNP-Holding and Accounting Unit at Camp Crame in Quezon City to pave the way for the investigation, said PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome.

Superintendent Sonny Verzosa replaced Borromeo as Dagupan City police chief.

Razon has ordered a thorough probe on the Naguilian shabu lab where chemicals that could produce as much as P1 trillion worth of the illegal drug were seized.

Razon said they are looking into the possible links of the drug syndicate behind the shabu lab with the group that maintained another shabu lab raided in Real, Quezon recently.      – With Myds Supnad