52 cops relieved over P-trillion shabu case

By Mar T. Supnad

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union- A total of 52 policemen, 17 of whom are commissioned police officers, have been relieved of their posts in connection with the discovery of the multi-trillion shabu laboratory in Barangay Bimmutubot, Naguilian town last July 9, a police colonel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group revealed yesterday.

This, as congressional oversight committee on dangerous drugs chaired by Ilocos Norte Rep. Roquito Ablan started the other day its investigation on the case.

Sr. Supt. Marvin Bolabola, CIDG regional chief in Region 1, who was tapped by Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon to help investigate the shabu laboratory, said the relief of the 52 policemen including a PNP colonel, is to show the public that the PNP hierarchy means business in their job to look into the protectors behind it and ferret out the truth on the discovery of the biggest shabu ever discovered in the country.

A veteran investigator trained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bolabola said, however, that the relief of the policemen does not mean they are already guilty but this is to avoid whitewash on investigation of the case. “Mababalik din sila kung napatunayan na wala silang kinalaman sa naturang shabu laboratory, pero mananagot ang mga may kinalaman.”

Among those relieved were Sr. Supt. Dionisio Borromeo, chief of police of Dagupan City who became regional chief of the PNP mobile group in the region; two chiefs of municipal police in La Union; and others mostly detailed with the regional mobile group based in Camp Gen. Oscar Florendo, headquarters of the PNP in Region 1.

A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, Col. Borromeo and the other cops have been charged before the Prosecutor’s office here July 31. Six Chinese men were also charged.

The police’s action (in relieving the 52 policemen) came in the wake of revelation of Dante Palaganas, a caretaker of the said shabu lab who tagged Borromeo as one of the police protectors of the laboratory. Borromeo, however, denied the charges.

The shabu lab was earlier used as front for piggery until policemen from the province headed by Sr. Supt. Noli Talino discovered it in a surprised raid that shocked the entire police and community.

The Congressional Oversight Committee in Congress on Dangerous Drugs had inspected the alleged shabu laboratory Wednesday in line with House investigation being sought by Rep. Tomas Dumpit, Jr. whose district the laboratory was discovered.

Razon had ordered the creation of “Task Force Bimmutubot” to dig deeper into the shabu laboratory believing the case against those implicated are so strong to merit indictment in court.
Chemicals seized from the illegal facility in Barangay Bimmotobot could produce P27 million worth of shabu, not one trillion as earlier estimated, based on the actual computation of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago said this in an ambush interview, as his men barred reporters from covering the briefing at the Masigasig Center at Camp Florendo and even blocked a GMA-7 cameraman from getting footage of the meeting.

“Yung chemicals, if mixed, based on actual computation, could produce shabu worth only around P27 million,” Santiago said.

“It is not one trillion pesos worth that would be produced. The figure was bloated. Let’s go to the actual seizure and do not add other ingredients. There are no other ingredients like ephedrine,” he added, saying he was not aware the briefing was closed to the media.

Authorities seized at least six truckloads of chemicals and equipment, which are now stored at the warehouse of the PDEA regional office at Camp Diego Silang.

In the briefing were La Union Reps. Victor Ortega and Tomas Dumpit Jr., some local officials, and PDEA and police personnel.

Reporters were only allowed to enter the conference venue when Ablan requested for coverage, as Ortega and Dumpit shook hands. The two lawmakers recently figured in a “word war” over the shabu lab issue.

Santiago said an international syndicate could be behind the shabu lab.
“This is an international syndicate but the timing of the raid in Naguilian did not yield any foreign suspects unlike the operation in Real, Quezon. We’re trying to see the linkages,” he said.