Hunt on for owners of biggest shabu lab

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga, Philippines – Police are hunting two Chinese nationals tagged as operators of the so-called mega-shabu laboratory discovered in Barangay Bano, Arayat, Pampanga, Thursday during a raid.

Chief Supt. Aaron Aquino, Central Luzon police acting director, identified the two Chinese nationals as Anthony Reyes Cua and Jacky Lee Shi.

The shabu lab was disguised as a piggery-corn crasher facility.

Aquino said a Toyota Corolla Altis found abandoned at the shabu lab complex is registered in the name of Cua. Found inside a Honda Civic was Shi’s driver’s license. The two vehicles are now in the custody of the Arayat municipal government.

Based on documents found at the scene, the two Chinese lived in Binangonan, Rizal and in Pasig City, Aquino said.

Earlier arrested was Hong Wenzheng, caretaker of the mega-shabu laboratory. He is now in the custody of the Pampanga police intelligence branch.

The local government, in coordination with the Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, carried out the raid on the shabu lab.

Personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection and the local government accidentally discovered the shabu during fire safety and sanitary inspections at the piggery located at the foot of Mt. Arayat.

Meanwhile, in Bacolod City, a high-profile drug suspect has been cleared by a regional trial court judge of drug charges.

RTC Branch 47 Judge Therese Blanche Bolunia dismissed the case against Gerald Cuadra, citing the nullity of the search warrant used by the police in raiding his house last May.

Cuadra was arrested in his residence in Brgy. 1 Poblacion, Bacolod City, for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

With the “nullity” of the search warrant used by the police for justifying the raid, the evidence recovered from Cuadra’s house was deemed inadmissible in court, Bolunia said.

Without such evidence the court sees no reason to continue trying the case, she also said.

Cuadra was among the four high-profile drug personalities in Negros Occidental arrested by police in line with the Oplan Double Barrel campaign of the PNP.

He was released from Bacolod District Jail last Wednesday.

The raid on Cuadra’s house yielded an estimated P1.2 million worth of suspected shabu, assorted live ammunition and firearms of various caliber, among others.

Despite his release from jail. Chief Insp. Dianne Grace Catedral, PRO 18 spokesperson, said that they would continue to monitor Cuadra’s activities.

Cuadra is a son of Jose Kim “Boy” Cuadra who is serving time at the New Bilibid Prison for drug offense. – Gilbert Bayoran