The Taguig City government on Friday commended the local police force for its successful anti-narcotics operation that resulted in the seizure of over P20 million worth of shabu.
Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano also hailed the arrest of a notorious member of the Tinga Drug Syndicate during Wednesday’s buy-bust operation on Mariano Street in Barangay Ususan around 5:30 p.m.
Police identified the suspect as 24-year old Patrick Ace Tinga.
Nine other individuals — Tom Jovy Cruz, 30; Elmer Bautista, 34; Wenston Ray Lopez, 20; Jessie Aviles, 24; Jomari Lopez, 19; Chris Klein Lopena, 19; Adrian dela Cruz, 22; John Paul Esteban, 26; and John Christian Roxas, 34 — were also arrested, while two minors were rescued by the authorities.
Apart from the three kilograms of shabu worth P20.4 million, also seized from the group were 41.7 grams of marijuana worth P50,040; three digital weighing scales; two keypad cellphones; one eco bag; P8,000 in different denominations; and two P200 bills with dusting powder from the Southern Police District Crime Lab.
The police also recovered a blue book of clients and buyers.
According to Mayor Cayetano, the arrest and seizure of the sizeable haul of illegal drugs are proof of Taguig’s commitment to the war on drugs even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We vowed to keep Taguigeños safe. That means we will do whatever is necessary that is allowed by the law to protect them not just from COVID-19 but from illegal drugs and criminality as well,” he said.
Cayetano said the city government would continue to support the local police, as they continue to enforce laws and arrest those violating them.
“There is, after all, no room for criminals in Taguig. We are a peace-loving people. Anyone who attempts to disrupt our peace is not welcome here,” he said.
Taguig has been overly aggressive in its campaign against illegal drugs.
In 2016, another Tinga Drug Syndicate member, Joel Tinga, was sentenced to reclusion perpetua for selling illegal drugs. Elisa “Ely” Tinga was also meted out the same punishment in February 2017.
Ely was at that time the third most wanted person on the city’s list of illegal drug personalities. She was the seventh member of the Tinga Drug Syndicate to be arrested and jailed.
Taguig also implements a one-strike policy against business establishments allowing customers to use illegal drugs. Under the policy, the city government immediately revokes the business permits of violating establishments.
The local government also has programs to help rehabilitate drug users. The Taguig Anti-Drug Abuse Council’s two-month program aims to reintegrate them as productive members of society.