Two alleged members of a drug group supplying drugs to some showbiz and diplomatic personalities were killed while four others, including a female cousin of actor Robin Padilla, were arrested in an anti-drug operation in San Pedro, Laguna, yesterday morning.
Senior Supt. Albert Ignatius Ferro, director of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG), said one of the slain suspects, Alvin Comerciante, was one of the remnants of the group of the late actor Ace Vergel.
“He is also connected to 14K syndicate. He is also involved in supplying drugs for showbiz personalities and some diplomatic personalities,” said Ferro.
The official, however, did not elaborate on the personalities that regularly get supply of shabu from Comerciante.
After verifying the involvement of Comerciante in the illegal drugs, AIDG operatives, backed up by local police, especially members of the elite Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), swooped down on the house of the suspect at the Adelina Subdivision at around 10 a.m.
But instead of yielding, Ferro said Comerciante and one his cohorts fought it off with the raiding team. The brief gunfight resulted in the death of Comerciante and a cohort who remained unidentified as of yesterday afternoon.
Four persons were also nabbed during the operation, including Cristina Padilla who is reportedly a relative of the Padillas in the showbiz industry.
Seized during the operations were guns and a grenade, and undetermined amount of shabu.
BURDADO
Ferro disclosed that Comerciante has been in and out of jail for various offenses that also include illegal drugs, the reason why he has a lot of tattoos on the body.
This earned him the alias Burdado which made him notorious.
The specialty of Comerciante is illegal drugs distribution in the showbiz personalities and what Ferro termed diplomatic personalities.
“Based on our background check, 30 to 40 percent of illegal drugs supply in San Pedro are coming from the group of Burdado,” said Ferro in an interview.
DRUG LORD’S HITMAN
Ferro disclosed that they also confirmed reports that Comerciante’s regular detention gave him the access to some of the lieutenants of the convicted drug lords at the National Bilibid Prison.
The official added that Comerciante was a hitman of the drug lords against those who would double-cross them and those who are not able to pay.
“We know the modus, there are some who were not able to pay and this is the part where he comes in,” said Ferro.
FIRST COUSIN
During the raid, Comerciante’s live-in partner Cristina admitted that he is a relative of actor Robin Padilla.
She said during the interview that the father of Robin Padilla and his father are brothers, making her first cousin of the popular actor.
But Padilla denied that she is involved in the illegal drugs activities, particularly in selling shabu.
“I only live there. I have always wanted to leave, I escaped from that house several times but he would beat me up,” said Padilla. (AARON B. RECUENCO)