Manila: Malacañang has praised law enforcement agencies for the arrest of a suspected drug pusher within the Malacañang Complex in San Miguel, Manila. The arrest underscores the administration’s commitment to combating illegal drugs, as stated by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
According to Philippines News Agency, the arrest was carried out by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in collaboration with the Presidential Security Group (PSG), the Philippine Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEA), and local police forces. The suspect, Edgar Ventura, was apprehended at his residence in the San Miguel area of the Malacañang Complex.
Authorities reportedly seized drug paraphernalia during the operation, including heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be illegal drugs. Executive Secretary Bersamin emphasized the need for continued efforts to capture Ventura’s accomplices and urged public cooperation in the ongoing investigation.
Bersamin stated, “Let it be k
nown: no corner of this land, no matter how remote or concealed, will serve as a refuge for the producers and distributors of these lethal substances.” He further declared that the law would be enforced rigorously against those involved in the illegal drug trade.
The Malacañang Complex, which houses the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines, also contains numerous mansions, office buildings, and residential barangays near the Palace compound.