‘Bilibid drug trade’ still very much alive

DESPITE the death of some well-known ‘drug lords’ from the Covid-19’ pandemic and effort by the government in the last five years to end the so-called ‘Bilibid drug trade,’ business appears to be booming.

This, according to an initial report received by Philippine National Police (PNP) director general, Debold Sinas, from a successful police anti-drug operation in Cavite last April 26, 2021, that resulted to the recovery of some 10 kilos of shabu worth more than P68 million and the arrest of a notorious drug dealer.

In a report to the Chief PNP, P/BGen. Remus Medina, head of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) said their operation at Block 25, Lot12, Moab Street, Town and Country Homes Subdivision in Dasmariñas City, resulted to the arrest of Michael Abdul Lucas, aka, ‘Boy Muslim,’ who is described as a “member” of a drug syndicate that distributes 10 to 15 kilos regularly of illegal drugs, particularly “shabu,” in Region 3 (Central Luzon), the entire National Capital Region, Calabarzon region and as far as Mindanao.

The suspect is among the well-connected, high profile, drug personalities being hunted by the PDEG under its ‘Coplan Chain Knuckle,’ Medina added.

In his report, Medina, who is also cited for breaking the back of the syndicate behind the infamous ‘shabu tiangge’ in Pasig City in 2006, said their case build-up disclosed that Lucas, 35, has been engaged in the illegal drugs business for at least two years before his arrest and has been getting his supply from a “certain Chinese national detained at Muntilupa (National Bilibid Prison).”

Medina said “other cohorts” of the Chinese drug lord would deliver the drug to Lucas. The names of the Chinese and his cohorts were not named in the report that Medina submitted to Sinas.

It can be recalled that in the early part of Pres. Duterte’s term, the Bilibid drug trade, rampant during the Aquino administration, and where detained drug lords continue to do business despite being behind bars, has been widely investigated by both chambers of Congress.

That probe resulted to the imprisonment of then justice secretary Leila de Lima, after testimonies from detained drug personalities pointed to her as among their “protectors” in the Aquino administration, in exchange for money.

The repeated drug scandals involving the NBP has also resulted to repeated changes in the leadership of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), which has supervision over the NBP, as well as the unsolved deaths of some of its officials and detainees over the years.

When Covid-19 struck last year, it was reported that among its casualties at the NBP are Jaybee Sebastian, one of the drug lords who testified against De Lima and, Amir Boratong, the drug lord behind the Pasig shabu tiangge whom Medina sent to prison.

The next Chief PNP?

Meanwhile, with only his name submitted by the National Police Commission and the Department of Interior and Local Government for consideration as the next Chief PNP by Pres. Duterte, PNP director for administration, P/Lt. General Guillermo T. Eleazar, should be expected to succeed Sinas when the latter retires from the service this coming May 8, 2021.

Eleazar, already the second highest police official after Sinas, was the overwhelming ‘People’s Choice’ as Chief PNP when then PNP chief, Oscar Albayalde was forced into an early retirement in October 2019 over a drug scandal. However, Pres. Duterte decided to oppose the public’s expectation and the post went to P/Gen. Archie Gamboa.

Among the prerogatives of the President of the  Philippines is the appointment of the head of the PNP and key officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Eleazar was then again expected by most Filipinos to succeed Gamboa on the latter’s retirement in March 2020 but Pres. Duterte again decided against public sentiment and appointed P/Gen. Camilo Cascolan.

Eleazar, for the third time, is expected to be finally appointed as Chief PNP when Cascolan retired last November 2020, but Pres. Duterte instead appointed Sinas.

Should Pres. Duterte again decided to listen to his minions, Eleazar, who is also set to retire this coming November 2021, would go down on record as the “most bypassed” police official in the history of the PNP and the “best Chief PNP that the country never had.”