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Convicted drug lords continue to operate behind bars?

Philippines | National

Convicted drug lords continue to operate behind bars?

By Aaron Recuenco

Despite the bloody drug war that so far left more than 6,000 drug personalities dead, convicted drug lords reportedly continue to operate within the iron bars and walls of the national penitentiary, selling shabu in the country.

(PNP-PIO / MANILA BULLETIN)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) found this anew after the death of 29-year old Michael Johnlery and 42-year old Arnel Degulacion during a brief gun battle that stemmed from a buy-bust in Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City.

PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said the operation resulted in the confiscation of two kilos of shabu with a street value of P13.6 million, adding that the confiscated illegal drugs are from Cebu-based drug distribution network.

Based on the PNP background, Olid and Degulacion were henchmen of Ronald Aparecio Natividad alias Dodong Toldo, a convicted drug lord now serving sentence at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City.

The two slain drug dealers were also close associates of Natividad's son, Dave Kelleher, who is presently detained at the Mandaue City Jail on drug charges.

Natividad’s wife Annabel was arrested by the National Capital Region Police Office and the Bacoor City Police on November 2. She yielded some five kilos of shabu.

“This only bolsters earlier similar revelations of the continued drug trafficking activities of convicted drug lords even while serving sentences inside the national penitentiary,” said Sinas.

Sinas then ordered a close coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bureau of Corrections to further validate the information and initiate possible interdiction operations.

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