Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay on Monday warned drug dealers and their clients to steer clear of the city, saying the city government was determined to put them behind bars.
This developed as the Makati City police was set to file charges against 31 employees of a high-end bar in Barangay Poblacion arrested during an anti-illegal drugs operation last Aug. 11.
“We are determined to banish the illegal drug trade from our communities, especially in establishments like bars where drug dealing can easily become part of the services offered to clients because of unscrupulous business owners,” Binay said.
“I am warning business owners in Makati, their employees, and patrons who are involved in illegal drugs: You have no place here in Makati. We are prepared to impose the full force of the law, no matter who you are or whom you know. We will ensure you are justly punished,” she declared.
Binay noted that out of the 31 suspects arrested at Time in Manila Bar along Makati Avenue during the said operation, only two turned out to be residents of Makati.
The rest of them, including the bar manager, are non-residents with residential addresses in the cities of Pasay, Quezon, Taguig, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Caloocan, Pasig, Manila, and in the provinces of Cavite and Rizal.
“Do not make the mistake of making a mockery of the law in our city. For us, there is no room for compromise particularly when it comes to illegal drugs,” Binay said.
Based on the report of Makati police chief Supt. Rogelio Simon to the Office of the Mayor, cases of violation of Sections 5, 6, 7 and 11 of Article II of R.A. 9165 have been filed against the suspects last Aug. 14.
Recovered during the initial drug bust on Aug. 11 were 18 pieces of heat-sealed plastic sachets of suspected cocaine; 15 capsules and four tablets of suspected ecstasy; one small vacuum-sealed suspected Kush; three tablets of suspected party drugs; and P22,500 worth of buy-bust money.
The recovery was witnessed by a barangay councilman of Poblacion and a member of the media.
Also confiscated at the scene were a caliber 38 revolver with five rounds of ammunition, and drug paraphernalia including aluminium foil tooters and foil strips, improvised glass tooter, and lighters.
The operation led to the arrest of 31 employees of the establishment, including bar manager Danilo Regino; operations manager Sonny Abrio; waiters Arnel Esteban, Marvin Teru, Paul Edrian Cuadra, Marvin Mercado, Jo-Anthony De Tera, Alvinn Gayatgay, and Darwin Caracas; bouncers Dick Corpus, Emmanuel Dela Peña, Jose Marasigan, Rolando Muñoz, and Julius Salazar; receptionists Patrick John Lee and Frederick Villanueva; bartenders Raul Perez, Mervin Pagurayan, Edwin Bengo and Raymond Regino;
Cashiers Helen Pagulayan, Evangeline Roxas and Mary Dina Delfin; security guard Rey PJ Quinio; maintenance staff Alejandro Trajano; utility staff Ian Christopher Hamon, Orlando Murillo, Marilyn Luzon and Melissa Calderon; cook Jardine Ronald Bautista; and parking attendant Reynaldo De Duque.
Follow-up operations on Aug. 16 were personally overseen by National Capital Region Police Director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar and Southern Police District Director Chief Supt. Tomas Apolinario upon the issuance of a search warrant by Executive Judge Hon. Elmo Almeda of Makati City Regional Trial Court.
Recovered during the search of two vaults inside the office of bar manager Regino and other areas in the bar’s premises were 17 pieces of small, heat-sealed plastic containing shabu; three pieces of plastic containing cocaine; one plastic of kush; one piece of aluminum foil; and one plastic pipe for sniffing shabu.