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| "Meron na tayong drug lord na Chinese. Hindi 'yung puro kayo reklamo na puro mahihirap na pusher 'yung napapatay. Drug lord talaga ito na Chinese. Malaki 'to," police chief Bato said. |
ABS-CBN News reported that authorities were supposed to serve a warrant of arrest to Tan when a running gun battle erupted.
Police chief Dela Rosa, who was also on the crime scene, said “Meron na tayong drug lord na Chinese. Hindi ‘yung puro kayo reklamo na puro mahihirap na pusher ‘yung napapatay. Drug lord talaga ito na Chinese. Malaki ‘to.”
Dela Rosa’s statement is in disagreement to Buhay Partylist Representative Lito Atienza who questioned the apparent ‘kid glove treatment’ being extended by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte to suspected big-time drug lords while those considered ‘small fries’ figure in a spate of extrajudicial killings.
“We want all those engaged in the illicit drug trade, big and small, but especially the big ones, captured and locked up. But we cannot tolerate summary executions, especially if all those targeted are mere street-level pushers,” Atienza said.
“We have to eradicate the big-time traffickers first, as well as their coddlers in law enforcement, if we are to effectively suppress the supply side of the drug problem. We’re afraid getting rid of the easily replaceable smallest players in the supply chain won’t make much of a dent,” he added.
Meco Tan was reported to be operating a shabu laboratory in Naic, Cavite in 2003 with Jackson Dy, where about 600 kilograms of shabu were confiscated.
ABS-CBN News said reported that he also operated a shabu laboratory on Scout Chuatoco Street in Quezon City, where more than 70 kilograms of shabu and 3,500 kilograms of ephedrine were confiscated.
