Makati police once again raided high-end establishment Time Bar yesterday, where it discovered several packs of suspected drugs and drug paraphernalia. The police also allegedly detained the bar’s lawyers for obstruction of justice.
According to radio station DZBB and Manila Bulletin, the bar is co-owned by musician, actor, and television host Rico Blanco. It was first raided by members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday.
Recovered from the bar yesterday were 17 packs of suspected shabu (methamphetamine), three packs of cocaine, one pack of marijuana, pipes containing residue of marijuana, aluminum foil and one improvised tooter, as reported by the Manila Bulletin
According to the report, the PNP will file a case against Blanco and the bar’s other co-owners: Amparo Primero, Reyan Gomintong Ladrillo, Cynthia Primero, Burton Joseph Server III. They will also file charges against its manager Danilo Regino. They will be charged with violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that no less than Metro Manila police chief Guillermo Eleazar served the search warrant, which was granted by the Makati City Regional Trial Court.
Meanwhile, Rappler reported that three lawyers representing one of the co-owners were detained by the PNP for allegedly committing obstruction of justice.
Jan Vincent Sambrano Soliven, Lenie Rocel Elmido Rocha, and Romulo Bernard Bustamante Alarkon of the Desierto and Desierto law firm were supposedly monitoring last night’s raid when they were taken into custody by the PNP.
Diane Desierto, a partner of the law firm where the three work, told Rappler: “We were unable to reach our young lawyers when they were taken because they were not permitted to make any calls to counsel or their families, and neither were they informed of what the charge was against them but instead they were intimidated and verbally harassed.”
As of yesterday night, the three lawyers were still at the Makati Police Station.
FLASH: ‘Time Bar’ sa Makat City na nahulihan ng iligal na droga noong Sabado, muling binuksan ng NCRPO | via @MMakalalad pic.twitter.com/VWJRQ2fwbt
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) August 16, 2018
WATCH: Mga nakuha ng NCRPO sa Time Bar sa Makati City; singer na si Rico Blanco, isa mga owner ng bar na kakasuhan. | via @MMakalalad pic.twitter.com/iTBtcMfhlc
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) August 16, 2018
Blanco, one of the bar’s co-owners, was a member of the local band Rivermaya, which first gained prominence in the 1990s.
Considered one of the biggest local acts, they achieved a modicum of success internationally, thanks to their You’ll Be Safe Here album that was distributed all over Southeast Asia. Blanco went solo in 2008.
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