Daily Tribune
National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago presents to the media the five arrested individuals from an entrapment operation in Manila regarding the illegal sale of vape products during a press conference in Pasay City on Monday, 7 July 2025. In a press briefing, Santiago identified the suspects as Vincent Sulima and his cohorts Christian Lao, John Rey Petallar, Renz Joel Penson, and Mercy Villon. He detailed that they sold their illegal items online, labeled "Haze," "Astra," and "Black Market," in Facebook groups. The NBI confiscated over 25,000 pieces of vape products, estimated to be worth P8,164,570.
Photo by John Carlo Magallon for DAILY TRIBUNE
Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation–National Capital Region, led by Director Judge Jaime B. Santiago (Ret.), arrested five suspects in Sta. Cruz, Manila, for the illegal sale and distribution of vape products.
The suspects were identified as Vincent G. Sulima, Christian F. Lao, John Rey E. Petallar, Renze Joel R. Penson, and Mercy T. Villon. They were caught in an entrapment operation on 3 July 2025.
The operation stemmed from an intelligence report about Sulima’s online activities. He was allegedly distributing unregistered vape products using social media, particularly through the page facebook.com/port2pasok. This was in violation of Republic Act No. 11900 or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act.
NBI agents conducted a test-buy and confirmed that the items were not registered with the Department of Trade and Industry. A separate test-buy through Sulima’s Facebook page on 27 June 2025 resulted in the purchase of more unregistered items, including those labeled “Haze,” “Astra,” and “Black Market.”
On 3 July, the NBI and DTI–Office for the Special Mandate on Vaporized Nicotine Products held a joint briefing before proceeding with the entrapment operation. Sulima and his four associates were arrested in flagrante delicto at 1753 Felix Huertas Road, Sta. Cruz.
Authorities confiscated 25,653 vape products with an estimated market value of P8,164,570.
The suspects were subjected to inquest proceedings before the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office for violations of the Vaporized Nicotine Products Act, the Cybercrime Prevention Act, and the Consumer Act of the Philippines.
They remain under custody at the NBI Security Management Division.
The operation, according to Santiago, is part of the agency’s ongoing effort to protect public health and enforce laws against illegal trade of regulated products.
