BGC condo owners urged to be vigilant after drug raid in condo unit

MANILA, Philippines - Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano on Wednesday urged owners and managers of condominiums in the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) to review tenant screening processes following early Wednesday's morning's raid of an alleged shabu laboratory inside a condo unit by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Cayetano also urged BGC condo owners and managers to tighten their monitoring of illegal activities in their premises.

"It is the standing policy of the Taguig City government to take a stronger stance against illegal drugs and the criminal syndicates that peddle them within the city," Cayetano said.

Cayetano also assured Taguig residents and the public that her administration will not tolerate illegal acts and will continue to double the efforts in dismantling criminal syndicates that operate in the city.

“We must remain vigilant against this menace in our society. While I am glad that the NBI and the police are able to dismantle this drug operation, I challenge them to be more aware and to stay on ground against crimes such as this,” she said.

Cayetano lauded the NBI for busting the alleged shabu laboratory at unit 302 of the Luxe Residences. Also arrested in the NBI raid were two Canadian nationals who were suspected to be drug traffickers. They we identified as Barry Espadilla and Christian Tolazo.

Seized from the condo unit were a cache of shabu, cocaine and ecstasy pills estimated to be worth millions of pesos.

Cayetano said the city government will not tolerate the presence of illegal drugs and their peddlers in Taguig City.

“Winning the war against illegal drugs is an essential component in the maintenance of peace and order in Taguig. More than providing a safe haven for the business community to flourish in our beloved city, it is also important in securing our residents against syndicates that prey on the innocent,” she said.

“It is therefore imperative that we double our efforts in ridding Taguig of illegal drugs. I therefore laud the Taguig City police and the NBI for this recent victory against illegal drugs," she added.