Drugged, drunk driver caught after car chase

MANILA, Philippines — A motorist who was reported to be under the influence of both liquor and marijuana was arrested after leading police on a car chase in Manila on Friday.

Onemiguel Villanueva Tan, 23, is being held by city police.

Traffic police officers deployed along Roxas Boulevard near Katigbak Road in Ermita approached Tan’s vehicle, a blue Honda Jazz with license plate AAW 4231, after he was seen blocking the flow of traffic, according to a report from the Manila Police District (MPD).

When Tan rolled down his driver’s seat window, the lawmen reported smelling marijuana from within his car. They also reported seeing two sachets of kush or high-grade marijuana between his thighs.

Tan suddenly sped off, forcing the policemen to call for help from other MPD units to block him.

Police chased Tan’s car until a vehicle carrying  Philippine Coast Guard personnel helped block him near the Ayala Bridge.

Tan was cornered at the intersection of Ayala Bridge and Solano street.

Aside from the two sachets of kush, police also recovered from Tan a plastic bottle containing kush, a sachet packed with an unidentified white powder and another sachet containing an ecstasy tablet.

They also confiscated two packs of rolling paper, a lighter, a cell phone and a wallet with P80,500 cash.

Police believe the kush seized from Tan has a street value of P30,000 while the ecstasy tablet is valued at P1,200.

Tan’s blood alcohol concentration was at .07 percent, the MPD reported. Under the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 10586, the anti-drunk and drugged driving law, drivers of private vehicles must have a BAC of lower than .05 percent.

Police filed charges of possession of illegal drugs, obstruction of traffic, resistance and disobedience to a person in authority and violation of RA 10586 against Tan.