MANILA, Philippines Police in the Ilocos region are looking into the possible involvement of local officials to an illegal drug factory that was seized in La Union province earlier this month.
But Ilocos regional police director Chief Supt. Romeo Hilomen admitted on Wednesday they dont yet have evidence linking any local politician to the methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) laboratory.
"Sa aming region ang mga other na kasangkot iniimbestiga namin ngayon. Utos ni Chief PNP, dapat malaman sino ang involved at parusahan (We are now expanding our investigation. PNP chief Dir. Gen. Avelino Razon Jr. ordered us to find out who are involved and punish them),"
Hilomen said in an interview on dzRH radio.
He said one of those linked to the laboratory, bemedalled Supt. Dionisio Borromeo, has been brought to Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters for further investigation.
Borromeo, an intelligence operations officer, maintained his innocence after a former informant arrested during the drug raid linked him to the drug lab's operations.
"Nasa Crame siya at iniimbestigahan ng CIDG (He is now at Camp Crame to be investigated by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group)," Hilomen said.
Earlier, Razon vowed that heads will roll after the shabu laboratory was discovered in a remote village in La Unions mountainous town of Naguilian.
Anti-narcotics police agents recovered shabu ingredients from the 11-hectare area during the July 10 raid. They also seized truckloads of ingredients for making the drug.
Police said the shabu that could have been manufactured at the lab may reach P1 trillion. - GMANews.TV