Foreign Correspondence

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Philippines Has The Highest Use of Shabu in the World

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Crystal Meth and Cartels in the Philippines: The Shabu Trap (Trailer)

December 8, 2015 | 11:35 pm

At the start of 2015, Mexican national Horacio Hernandez Herrera, allegedly third in command of the infamous Sinaloa Cartel, was arrested in the Philippines' capital, Manila, at the center of a 12 million peso ($255,000) drug bust.

Herrera's arrest came as Philippine authorities confirmed that not only were Mexico's cartels vying for a piece of the country's rapidly growing drugs trade, but forming an alliance with Chinese syndicates to do so.

The Philippines drug of choice? Shabu: A local name for crystal meth, present in over 90 percent of the capital's neighborhoods.

While shabu's popularity has skyrocketed in the last decade — partly for its ability to allow the poorest of Filipinos to work longer hours — the drug's grip on Manila has reached crisis point, as unemployment rates remain high and the collusion of gangs with police and local government becomes an every day occurrence.

So, as Herrera awaits trial in the capital, VICE News takes a look at the Philippines drug trade. We visit the Tondo district of Manila, a port area overwhelmed by shabu, to speak to dealers defending their turf and police officers trying to contend with porous borders, stunted judiciary power, and – their most challenging enemy – corruption within their own forces.

Watch "Gangs of El Salvador (Full Length)"
https://news.vice.com/video/gangs-of-el-salvador-full-length

Read "Mexican Soldiers Kill a Kidnapping Victim, Then Label Him a Cartel Hitman to Cover it Up"
https://news.vice.com/article/mexican-soldiers-kill-a-kidnapping-victim-then-label-him-a-cartel-hitman-to-cover-it-up

https://news.vice.com/video/crystal-meth-and-cartels-in-the-philippines-the-shabu-trap-trailer

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Marine officer falls in drug raid

Jorge Cariño, ABS-CBN News
Posted at 01/22/16 12:08 AM

MANILA – The Philippine military said it will support government agencies in their investigation of a ranking military officer arrested in a clandestine drug laboratory discovered by police in Santa Cruz, Manila on Thursday morning.

At a press briefing on Thursday afternoon, Col. Noel Detoyato, chief of the AFP Public Information Office, told reporters that the AFP was informed early Thursday about the arrest of an active duty officer, identified as Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino of the Philippine Marines.

"We assure the public that our agencies involved in this investigation will have the full unequivocal support of the AFP, but the due process that needs to be followed will be implemented," said Col. Detoyato.

Detoyato assured that the AFP will fully cooperate with investigating agencies.

Marcelino is a member of Philippine Military Academy Class Bantay-Laya of 1994. He was catapulted into the limelight during his stint in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Among his accomplishments were the arrests of the so-called Alabang Boys, the Chinese chemists behind the manufacture of shabu in Metro Manila and Marawi City, and prominent members of the West African drug syndicate employing Filipinos as drug mules overseas.

Detoyato refused to reveal to reporters the details of Marcelino's career with the military and his current assignment other than saying that the Marine colonel recently graduated from the Command and General Staff College and is presently assigned with the Navy School.

Detoyato explained that any active military officer who commits a felony will face the full force of the law.

"Any active officer na mapatunayang may ginagawang labag sa batas will face the full force of the law. But as of this moment, in the case of Lt. Col. Marcelino, we cannot assume anything. Let us leave it to the investigating agency," he said.

During the raid at the corner of Felix Huertas and Batangas streets, authorities discovered some P320 million worth of shabu in the clandestine laboratory.

Also arrested was Chinese national Yan Yi Shou.

Marcelino insisted he was not involved in the drug syndicate, and was engaged in a legitimate operation.

But the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) denied authorizing him to be inside the shabu laboratory, noting they were surprised to see him there.

PDEA added it does coordinate with the Intelligence Service-Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) in their anti-drug operations.

According to some PDEA agents, back in 2010, Marcelino was implicated in a drug operation where two Chinese drug personalities named him as one of their protectors. But no charges were filed against him due to lack of evidence. - with Raffy Santos, ABS-CBN News

WATCH: Chinese national, timbog sa drug raid

http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/metro-manila/01/21/16/marine-officer-falls-in-drug-raid

See also:

'Mission accomplished': Mexican President says 'El Chapo' caught
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=119713866

Breaking bad in Tehran: how Iran got a taste for crystal meth
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=102117147