A Decade After the Dismantling of the Mega Shabu Lab in Mandaue City

It was on September 24, 2004, on the late afternoon of Friday that PDEA-7 with operatives from the Headquarters raided the Mega Shabu Laboratory in Brgy. Umapad, Mandaue City, Cebu. That was ten years ago.

I could still clearly remember the details prior to the raid. PSSUPT Amado E. Marquez Jr. (may he rest in peace, he died last March 20, 2010) and I were at the Cebu Provincial Capitol in a meeting with then Governor Gwen Garcia at 2:00 in the afternoon, the topic was for the conduct of drug awareness seminar for the pupils and students of the Province of Cebu. In attendance was then Board Member Bolo.

PSSUPT Marquez received a call that the plane from Manila is about to arrive, it was the group led by Gen. Anselmo Avenido, the First Director General of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. It was a go for the almost half a year operation called OPERATION RED CRSYTALLINE.

The project was handed down to PSSUPT Marquez from then PSSUPT Gaudencio Pagaling, who retired as Regional Director of PDEA-7 on the month of August. Marquez assumed on the 2nd day of September with 20 days before the mega shabu laboratory was dismantled. I still remember, the late SPO4 Cabalda (my closest of all the non commissioned officers of PDEA) who asked for the M16 rifle on my vehicle on the morning as they were given heads up that the operation will be conducted the soonest.

On the early evening of September 24, 2004, PDEA raided the mega shabu laboratory, the major target was the lab in Umapad, there were other two support laboratory all in Mandaue City. At past 7:00 pm. PSSUPT Marquez called me one the phone and updated me that the operation was successful and requested me to inform Congressman Antonio V. Cuenco, who was then the Vice Chairman of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs. I then called Cong. Cuenco who just arrived from Manila and was at the Mactan Airport, who immediately proceeded to the shabu lab and was the first civilian to be at the scene.

It was only on the following day (Saturday) that I inspected the laboratory. I sought the help of Lawyer Renan Oliva of NBI-7 to assist PDEA in securing search warrants for the other two shabu labs.

The search warrant was secured on the same day (the search warrant of the Umapad Shabu Lab was issued by an RTC in Manila). There were many people who were of big help in the pre-operation, operation and post-operation of the shabu lab.

Aside from the police officers who were assigned with PDEA-7, operatives from CIDG, NBI and PNP Crime Lab 7 were of big help. My frustration is that none of the PNP officers assigned with PDEA-7 then were promoted for the operation. Even the promotion of PSSUPT Marquez was not approved even with the approval of then President Arroyo.

Seized was more than one ton of shabu and chemicals (it was destroyed with the supervision of then RTC Judge Marilyn Lagura Yap, now Justice of the Court of Appeals, on October 14, 2004.

A decade after the operation, I now realized that dismantling a shabu lab is not enough, as people still continue to crave, demand and use illegal drugs. It was only within two weeks after the raid on September 24, 2004 that supply of shabu again stabilized.

The hard truth, but people refuse to admit and still continue to howl that arresting pushers and manufacturers is the only way to stop, this is completely wrong, THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IS FOR PEOPLE TO STOP USING DRUGS. How do we do this? Go back to the basic, GO BACK TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM, GO BACK TO THE FAMILY. My question now, when was the last time you said I LOVE YOU to your child? Do you know where your children are now?

To all the members of the PDEA-7 (10 years from now, I will release a book to narrate of all that happened in the operation, and I will name the people who were part of it, but not now, as the accused are still appealing the convictions before the higher courts) that was part of OPERATION RED CRYSTALLINE, my snappy salute to all of you. Our government may not have given you recognition, but be assured that our Divine Creator will continue to protect and bless you and reward you in the afterlife.