MANDAUE ON GUARD V. PARTY DRUGS
Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing vows to cancel the business permit of any establishment in Mandaue City that is found to have used their business areas as a distribution point of the illegal drug trade
Mandaue City Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing instructed the Mandaue City Police Office to be more visible during parties, especially in this week’s Sinulog celebration, and in areas that have similar activities to prevent party drugs from circulating in such events.
Quisumbing assured that he will cancel the business permits of any establishment found to be “coddling” illegal drugs.
The mayor gave his order following the arrest of two business- men who were allegedly found in possession of party drugs in a police operation in Mandaue.
“I have told and ordered the police to make their presence very much felt not just during these parties but even on a normal weekend,” said Quisumbing.
A joint operation of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit and the Regional Special Operations Group in Central Visayas led to the arrest of Neil Benjamin Eugenio Yap, 33, and Richard Ngo Go, 40, in a hotel on A. C. Cortes Ave. last Jan. 12. Both suspects were allegedly selling prohibited party drugs.
SunStar Cebu earlier reported the buy-bust happened in the R Suites Cafe, which Go owns.
Packs of ecstasy
Authorities seized from Go a pack with 10 pieces of blue square tablets believed to be Blue Telegram Ecstasy, a pack of orange capsules believed to be Orange Amore Ecstasy, a plastic bottle containing an orange liq- uid. At least 15 more capsules believed to be ecstasy were taken from Yap.
Quisumbing said that his office is investigating the hotel owned by Go, and if it is proven that the establishment was used as a “distribution point” for illegal drugs, he would cancel the business permit immediately.
“We have received information about the proliferation of these party drugs in many of these highend bars around Metro Cebu, and I’m telling them now that if we find any evidence, I will immediately cancel the business permit of any establishment or any party that is found to be coddling these drugs,” said Quisumbing.
Organizers of LifeDance festival got a mayor’s permit to hold their event in Mandaue on Jan. 19.
Two other party organizers are still in the process of securing the permit.
Lawyer Mae Elaine Bathan, the mayor’s chief of staff, said the businessmen recently caught are not part or among the organizers of the parties that will be held in Mandaue for the Sinulog.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 is monitoring entertainment establishments after receiving a report that a new type of dangerous drugs has entered the country.
PDEA 7 Director Emerson Margate said his agents are verifying reports that the “zombie drug” is being distributed in Cebu and other parts of the region.
The illegal drug, known as flakka or gravel in the United States and Mexico, has a chemical similar to a key ingredient in bath salts that could be more dangerous than stimulants like cocaine.
A junkie overdosed on the zombie drug can show violent behavior or superhuman strength, but may suffer from hyperthermia. He or she also risks death.
PDEA and police said they are gathering intelligence to prevent party drugs from circulating in Central Visayas.