President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday Youhua Xu, one of the four Chinese nationals killed in a police anti-drug operation in the provinces of Zambales and Bataan last Tuesday, was a member of a drug ring and a big-time shabu smuggler in the Philippines.
Duterte made the revelation as he praised the law enforcers in the latest drug busts that yielded P3.9 billion worth of shabu.
“This time to the credit of our security forces and this was their accomplishment. So this early, I would like to extend my highest commendation and my heartfelt gratitude for protecting the country with the destruction of drugs,” the President said during his Talk to The People on COVID-19 aired Wednesday morning.
“I give you my snappy salute and congratulations. If these were distributed, it could have destroyed our country. Reason I hate illegal drugs.”
Members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Bureau of Customs conducted the drug operation in Candelaria, Zambales.
The encounter resulted in the killing of drug traffickers Gao Manshu, Hong Jiashe, and Eddie Tan, all from Fujian, China, and Youhua Xu from Quezon City.
Meanwhile, PDEA director general Wilkins Villanueva commended the Bureau of Customs for assisting them in going after the Central Luzon-based syndicate engaged in a drug smuggling operation called “shipside.”
Villanueva said the success of the operations was borne out of the good coordination with the PNP and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service.
Duterte said Youhua Xu, a member of a transnational drug trafficking organization, is one of the biggest shabu importers in the Philippines.
He added aside from the Philippines, the drug syndicate also operated in Southeast Asia and probably has ties with Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel.
A follow-up operation in Hermosa, Bataan resulted in the confiscation of 80 kilos of shabu worth P544 million. They also recovered one Toyota Land Cruiser, one Mitsubishi Montero, and communications equipment.
PNP chief General Guillermo Eleazar also hailed the cooperation. “This operation was a result of the whole-of-government approach in our campaign against illegal drugs,” he said.
“They are known distributors of illegal drugs in Luzon, particularly in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Region 4,” said Eleazar.
Those arrested in Tipo, Bataan were identified as Qing Chang Zhou alias Ricky Chou, 37; Cai Cai Bin alias James/Joseph Chua, 49; and Longcai Chang, 45.