Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Two days after naming police top brass allegedly protecting illegal drug trade in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte came out with another list — this time, naming the drug lords themselves.
Duterte, complete with a chart illustration of the drug trade network, identified on Thursday three of the country's topmost drug lords.
The President named Chinese nationals Wu Tuan (also known as Peter Co) and Peter Lim (a.k.a. Jaguar).
Authorities believe both of them are part of the Chinese triad; with Co operating in Metro Manila and Luzon, while Jaguar in the Visayas.
Methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu remains the most prevalent illegal drug in the Philippines.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III said the two were "Level 5" drug lords — the highest tier in the drug lord hierarchy. They are believed to have at least 100 kilograms of illegal drugs in every transaction.
According to the chart presented to Duterte by intelligence officers, retired police official Marcelo Garbo was an associate and "coddler" of Co and Jaguar.
The third drug lord is Herbert Colangco, he's not part of the Triad but is also a Level 5 drug lord.
Colangco is the inmate who produced a music video from inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
Duterte said Colangco worked with hotelier Richard King, who was killed in June 2014.
Solicitor General Jose "Joe" Calida said these top-level drug lords were believed to be the ones who had offered a hefty bounty for the heads of the President and PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa.
Operating behind bars
Co and Colangco are currently detained at the NBP — but have allegedly been using their cell phones to transact their deals.
Aguirre said 75 percent of the country's drug trade were being transacted from inside the national penitentiary.
He said the government was thinking of transferring these high-profile inmates to Tanay, Rizal or to an AFP facility — or even moving them to a remote island where there would be no cellular signals.
A drug raid in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa last May yielded P275M-worth of suspected shabu.
Meanwhile, Jaguar is out of the country, according to Solicitor General Jose "Joe" Calida.
President Duterte had warned Jaguar that he would be killed if he would step foot again in the Philippines.
CNN Philippines' Ina Andolong contributed to this report.
By CNN Philippines Staff http://cnnphilippines.com/
Walang komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento