RUIZ
At least five clubs in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue are home to the illegal drug transactions.
Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) on Thursday showed various photos and videos taken by undercover agents inside the five establishments.
The photos showed drug peddlers handing over packs of shabu or ecstasy to some buyers inside the clubs.
Ruiz said the PDEA-7 agents chose not to arrest the drug suspects inside the establishments because the latter might engage law enforcers in a shootout and in the process hitting other guests.
“We’ll just wait for the right time,” he said in an interview.
Ruiz named Liv Super Club as among the five establishments where illegal drug transactions were being done.
He refused to identify the others pending investigation.
Ruiz described as remote the possibility that the owners of the five clubs had something to do with the illegal drug transactions inside the establishments.
“In fact, they were the ones who requested the PDEA-7 for assistance in order not to put their establishments in a bad light. They are cooperative,” he said.
Businessman Kenneth Dong, one of the owners of Liv Super Club, was recently linked to a P6.4-billion illicit drug shipment that went through the Bureau of Customs in Manila last May.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, Benray Conti, operations manager of Liv Super Club, said they were surprised with reports that Dong was allegedly involved in the illegal drugs trade.
“As far as we are concerned, our dealings with him as a co-owner of Liv are all legitimate. However, we do not condone whatever wrongdoings he might be liable for under the law,” Conti said.
“Liv welcomes any investigation conducted by the city government and other law enforcement agencies and will fully cooperate in any inquiry,” he added.
Conti said Liv Super Club fully supports President Rodrigo Duterte’s efforts to eradicate illegal drugs.
“We also have coordinated with the PDEA to reinforce our efforts to make sure our establishment remains drug free,” he said.
The Mandaue City government recently ordered Liv Super Club to settle its amusement tax amounting to at least P1 million. If they fail to do so within 10 days, the establishment would face closure.
A joint team composed of representatives from the city’s Office of the Building Official, the City Health Office, Bureau of Fire Protection, the Mandaue City police, and the City Treasurer’s Office inspected Liv Super Club last Wednesday evening.
So far, they did not find anything illegal.
Ruiz said they continue to conduct surveillance operations to identify the persons behind the illegal drugs trade inside the different bars in Metro Cebu.
“These drug peddlers usually stay in places where there are prospective buyers. I warn them to stop what they are doing or they will be subjected to an operation,” he said.
Ruiz also appealed to the owners of the different clubs to monitor the activities inside their establishments or they would get sued