Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon lauded authorities for their successful buy-bust operation on Friday which led to the seizure of P340 million worth of shabu in South Greenheights Village, Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa.

The raid was a joint effort between the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Office NCR, the Muntinlupa Police, and the city’s Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Office (DAPCO).

Biazon praised the operation as a major blow to drug traffickers operating in Muntinlupa and acknowledged it as the result of his directive to Muntinlupa Police Chief Col. Robert Domingo. During the raid, authorities confiscated 50 kilos of shabu and arrested two women, identified as Marifel and Liza, who are now facing charges under Sections 5 (sale, trading and distribution of dangerous drugs) and 11 (possession of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

In his statement, Mayor Biazon emphasized that while arresting street-level drug pushers is crucial, authorities should also aim to target the higher-ranking drug operatives.

He urged the police to leverage the information from lower-level peddlers to track down key players in the drug trade.

Biazon noted that cracking down on street-level dealers is just one part of a broader strategy to dismantle organized drug networks.

The operation took place within a private subdivision, raising concerns over the use of gated communities as hubs for illegal drug activities.

Mayor Biazon stressed that residential houses in these areas have often been used as drug distribution centers or even drug manufacturing labs. He highlighted how traffickers exploit the security and privacy offered by such communities to carry out their operations.

As part of the city’s proactive approach, Biazon proposed the passing of Ordinance No. 2023-128, which the Muntinlupa City Council approved.

The ordinance mandates that property owners and lessors gather background information on their tenants and conduct periodic inspections of leased properties. They are also required to issue certifications confirming that the properties are used solely for lawful purposes.

The ordinance holds property owners accountable and allows them to be included in charges if their properties are found to be involved in illegal activities such as drug trafficking.

Mayor Biazon pointed out that many property owners have neglected to verify the activities taking place in the houses they rent out, allowing drug traffickers to take advantage of the anonymity and security provided by gated subdivisions. He stressed that this ordinance is a critical measure to prevent drug-related crimes in these communities, ensuring that lessors are held responsible for the misuse of their properties.

With this ordinance, Biazon aims to create a more transparent system in Muntinlupa that will discourage the use of residential properties for illegal activities, strengthen the city’s ongoing anti-drug campaign, and further disrupt the operations of criminal syndicates in the area.