Department of Health doctor caught in drug sting in Mandaluyong City

MANILA, Philippines — A medical officer of the Department of Health (DOH) was arrested at his condominium unit in Mandaluyong City during a drug bust at past midnight yesterday.

Fifty grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu with a street value of P50,000, liquid ecstasy and shabu paraphernalia were seized from Dr. Vanjoe de Guzman’s unit at the California Garden condominium by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives.

Levi Ortiz, PDEA special enforcement service chief, said they have been keeping De Guzman under surveillance for over four months.

Ortiz said the doctor allegedly uses his unit as a drug den and administers injectable shabu to his clients, who are mostly students, young professionals and partygoers.

Five others – including Keanu Andrea Flores, 21, a varsity lawn tennis player at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran; and events organizer Francis Fajardo, 28 – were also arrested at De Guzman’s unit.

Mark Echauz, 22; Michael Tan, 27; and a man identified only as “Boy Kulot” were also arrested.

Ortiz said there are videos of De Guzman’s clients engaging in drug-fueled orgies.

De Guzman admitted to using drugs but denied selling them, Ortiz said, but noted that operatives found text messages on the doctor’s cell phone indicating drug transactions.

AWOL employee

De Guzman has been absent without leave since Nov. 26, 2018 “and despite written directives to report immediately he failed to comply,” the DOH said in a statement yesterday.

The agency’s Metro Manila Center for Health Development (MMCHD) confirmed that De Guzman became a regular employee in February 2015.

The DOH has since issued an order of separation and started disciplinary proceedings, in consultation with the Civil Service Commission, for his eventual dismissal from the service.

The DOH noted that all MMCHD employees, regardless of employment status, are subjected to annual mandatory random drug testing.

Man held for shabu, guns

In Quezon City, an alleged gunrunner and drug pusher was arrested during a raid on his home on Wednesday.

Three .38 caliber revolvers, bullets, two sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia were confiscated from the home of Zandric Milan, 40, along Mangga street in Barangay Capri at around 3 p.m.

The raid stemmed from a search warrant issued by Judge Ferdinand Baylon of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 77, said Superintendent Rossel Cejas, Novaliches police station commander.

Police arrested 14 persons in anti-drug operations in Quezon City and two more in Valenzuela since Wednesday.  – With Mayen Jaymalin, Marc Jayson Cayabyab