DAVAO CITY — The detained partygoers in the controversial anti-illegal drugs buy-bust in Barangay Pindasan, Mabini Davao de Oro cried foul claiming the subject of the operations were made to escape during the raid on November 6, 2021.
The raid was spearheaded by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation and Mabini Municipal Police Station resulted in the confiscation of 26 packs of suspected dried marijuana leaves; weighing 200 grams with an estimated street value amounting to P24,000; sachets of suspected shabu weighing 10 grams with an estimated street amounting to P150,000; 722 tables of suspected party drugs with an estimated street value worth P1,227,400, liquid drugs, vials, and energy drinks, with a street value of P1.5-million.
A Newsline source revealed that the group was already drinking alcoholic drinks when the operatives arrived.
The composite group arrested 17 persons they describes as “high-value targets” namely: Revsan Ethelbert Papay Elizalde, 33 years old, single, resident of Catalunan Pequeño, Davao City; Eana Faye Marie Olea, Bryk Jiordan Archival, Kurk Bryan Tiubot, Paolo Guerero, Jomark Aping, Ariel Bueno, Edel Caballero, Ronald Chuan, Fritz Dinopol, Tom Jhun Doblas, Mark Christopher Isip, Janlord Masong, Christopher Prudente, Jesus Ragas III, Giovanni Tabanao and Jason Viduya.
But the suspects said the operatives were unfair, they spared some personalities like the former Davao City Information Officer Jefry Tupas and his boyfriend Jed Wong, whom they said was there during the raid but remain scot-free.
In an interview with Newsline, the suspects said, during the raid, they asked us to drop facing the ground, and names were called. The following are their version of the raid:
“They first call where is Jef Tupas, then he went missing, they called the name of his .. the name of a boyfriend, then Revsan (Elizalde, the target of the raid per PDEA) the rest names then, there were those… they call us, we were separated group by group, there were those from Manila:”
When asked, “Are you willing to tell this in your testimony? That two are missing?”
“Not only two went missing, but there were also many, many are missing, we are wondering why there were many of us when they came to us, they had a logbook, asking where is.. where is.. where is Jefry Tupas, where is Wong,” they said.
In his official statement, Tupas claimed “I was there because like other guests, I was Invited. But, I left right after dinner I and my boyfriend and another friend.”
However, eight partygoers contradicted Tupas’ statement.
The detained partygoers in an interview with Newsline on the video said, “The PDEA told us, sir, you relax, you are just visitors those who were called are the main targets so, we were left in the field, they were separated from us, we did not expect that they were made to escape they were taken, those confiscated from Jefry Tupas were placed in front of us, was inventoried and they took pictures with us, the Gatorade, they say, not from us, then we were wondering picture, picture. The PDEA asked because they found from their group a medicine, ARB for HIV-AIDS, they included in the count, that is why it reached 76. So it reached 76. “
One of the detainees said “Mam, I was close to Jefry during the raid and he said Sir I am a staff of Inday Sara, What is this? What is this sir? so he was taken inside. Many witnessed Mam, there are videos circulating Mam, there are photos that he was there, there was a list, they call those in the list, they call one by one.
On Tuesday, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio issued a statement, . “The former City Information Officer, Jefry Tupas, of the City Government of Davao was involved in a drug raid last November 6 in the Municipality of Mabini, Province of Davao de Oro. The details of the raid are known only to the PDEA officers in Davao de Oro and Ms. Tupas. Last Sunday, Jefry signified his resignation and at the same moment he was informed that he is terminated from work with the City Government of Davao.”
PDEA XI Director Aileen Lovitos in an interview with Newslien said, Out of the 17, who submitted urine for examination, there were 14, that turned positive for the use of illegal drugs, use of methamphetamine ,shabu, marijuana and there was who tested positive for use of ecstacy.
She also dismissed claims that the suspects were mauled “Ah, there were many people, they witnessed what happened, we do not maul, it is not our job. We do not need to maul, whatever their statements, Maybe during the operation there was bit of commotion, there were bruises but definitely there was no mauling, or whatever physical which happened during the operation.”
Newsline asked Lovitos why Tupas was not named in their report, she stressed “We’ll, stick with our statement that we filed drug cases against the 17 drug personalities and these personalities are already facing charges in the prosecutions office, that is our statement and we stand by it.”
On November 8, the PDEA formally charged the 17 before the Prosecutors Office of Nabunturan and their parents ang trying to help their children.
Seventeen individuals are now inside the detention facility of the national Bureau of Investigation, many are crying unfair arrest because there was 50 who attended the party and only 17 were arrested.-Editha Z. Caduaya
