ST.

VINCENT COLLEGE OF CABUYAO

MAMATID, CABUYAO, LAGUNA

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY

REPORTED DRUG CASES FROM 2018-2021

IN CABUYAO, LAGUNA

A THESIS
Presented to the Faculty of the
College of Criminology
St. Vincent College of Cabuyao
Barangay Mamatid, City of Cabuyao, Laguna

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Bachelor of Science in Criminology

Sumalinog, Kyle Jerome C.

Leonardo, Jayboy I.
October 2021
 ST. VINCENT COLLEGE OF CABUYAO
MAMATID, CABUYAO, LAGUNA

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

The drug situation in the country may have similarities with other countries.
However, there are also distinct problems in the country which may need distinct
solutions. It is, therefore, vital to carefully look into the drug situation in the country.
Drug user profile indicates that majority of drug dependents in the country are poly-drug
users or users who use several types of illegal drugs. More often than not, the abuse is
done mainly for pleasure. There are also cases where illegal drugs are used by individuals
to cope with the demands of their work, like those working in graveyard shifts, or
working for long hours and the like. The availability of illegal drugs encourages them to
take illicit drugs.
Methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu remains to be the most abused drug in
the country, followed by marijuana or cannabis sativa and methylenedioxy
methamphetamine (MDMA) or ecstasy. Ecstasy, well known for being a “party drug,”
which is commonly used in parties and nightlife, is considered as the most expensive
drug in the market. Solvents and other inhalants are also a preference and are usually
abused by street children. Illegal drug trafficking is the most prevalent and by far the
most pervasive illegal drug activity in the Philippines. It is subdivided into 4 activities,
namely: transportation of dangerous drugs and controlled precursors and essential
chemicals (CPECs), manufacture, distribution, and use thereof. Street-level pushing is
still the most widespread distribution activity. This is the way drug syndicates bring
dangerous drugs to clients at the barangay level. At the street level, drugs are retailed to
make them affordable. Drug traffickers never cease to find various ways to hide their
illegal transactions. Bank-to-bank transactions or wireless transfer is the preferred mode
of payment in illicit transactions. There is a noted use of package deposit counters in
grocery stores and hotel lobbies as well as jail and prison facilities as venues for drug
transaction. The use of recreation centers and other similar establishments still prevails
due to the convenience of such locations for drug transactions and money-laundering
activities. Furthermore, there is an alarming increase in the use of minors as couriers,
runners and drug peddlers. It also appears that drug traffickers are targeting children of
considerably younger age bracket. In fact, there was one incident in 2012 where a one-
year-old baby was used to conceal shabu being trafficked. Drug-manufacturing
syndicates establish multiple kitchen-type laboratories in various locations for different
phases in the production of illegal drugs. Each location is designed and intended for one
phase of production to avoid detection from authorities. African Drug Syndicates (ADS)
continuously utilize displaced Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and willing individuals
who posed as tourists to be couriers of illegal drugs. This trend is likely to continue
because people are easily enticed by the huge amount of money involved.
As of 2021, the surfacing and abuse of “poppers,” a kind of inhalant, and
substances such as mephentermine have also been monitored. Another new trend utilized
aby drug syndicates in their drug trafficking activities is the use of chemicals not listed as
dangerous drugs to produce amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), such as
methylephedrine and sodium hydroxide. The agency is also monitoring the mixing of
 ST. VINCENT COLLEGE OF CABUYAO
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BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY

shabu with other drugs and substances to produce a new concoction of ATS, one of
which is “milkshake”, a concoction of shabu and Nubain. Other new emerging trends on
trafficking and abuse of drugs and illegal substances are closely being monitored,
assessed and studied by PDEA.
As per monitoring of the Agency, the prices of illegal drugs in the country vary
depending on the area and/or place of transaction, mode of payments and quality of
illegal drugs. The average prevailing prices of various drugs in the country as of 2012 are
as follows:
Types of dangerous drugs Average Price in Php
Methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu 7,500 per gram
Cannabis sativa or marijuana 100 per gram
Cocaine 5,400 per gram
3,4-methylenedioxy-N-
methylamphetamine (MDMA) or ecstasy 1700 per tablet

The National Capital Region remains to be the main hub in the manufacturing of
shabu in the country. Manufacturing activities are done in residential areas, posh villages,
apartments and condominiums. Marijuana cultivation is still largely concentrated in
Northern Luzon, particularly in high-altitude and mountainous areas. The onset of
summer season, where there is an influx of tourists, causes the increase in demand of
illegal drugs in vacation spots, particularly in posh and exclusive resorts and club houses.
Enrolment and holiday seasons are also considered as critical periods since people have
extra money to spend.
Drug syndicates are taking advantage of the country’s vast and porous coastlines
for smuggling activities. Similarly, airports, seaports, and free ports/economic zones are
also being utilized as transshipment and drop-off points of illegal drugs that are smuggled
into the country. Based on the noted movements of the drug couriers, syndicates use more
than one drug courier per transaction and recruit mostly Asians. As their modus goes, one
courier will be tasked to pick-up the illegal drugs in a specific point and then meet with
another courier in a transit country to turn-over the said drugs for final distribution to its
intended market in Asia. The advent of globalization results in a more liberal movement
of people and commerce, an opportunity being capitalized upon by drug syndicates. They
recognize no boundary or jurisdiction, and their main motivation is profit. There are two
identified transnational drug groups operating in the Philippines: the African Drug
Syndicate and the Chinese or Filipino-Chinese Drug Group.
African Drug Syndicate The African Drug Syndicate (ADS) is dominated by
African nationals who facilitate the smuggling of dangerous drugs into the country for
local distribution. They usually use human drug couriers who will smuggle drugs into a
country of destination in exchange for a huge amount of money. This strategy enables
them to carry out their illicit drug activities without the risk of being caught themselves.
Based on the records of the Task Force Drug Couriers (TFDC), ADS usually employ
women as couriers. Chinese/Filipino-Chinese Drug Syndicates
The Chinese/Filipino-Chinese drug syndicates dominate the country’s illegal drug
trade by undertaking bulk smuggling and manufacturing of illegal drugs. Bulk smuggling
 ST. VINCENT COLLEGE OF CABUYAO
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BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY

and manufacturing activities ensure the abundant supply of illegal drugs in the market.
Usually, their activities are largely concentrated within their group, with the inclusion of
very few and well-selected locals. Further, Chinese/Filipino-Chinese drug groups are also
responsible for the establishment of clandestine laboratories and illegal chemical
warehouses in the country.
Drug syndicates have been producing methamphetamine in small-scale and
kitchen-type laboratories to avoid detection by the Philippine authorities since 2010.
Usually, drug syndicates rent warehouses for use as drug laboratories. These syndicates
have moved towards renting houses in private subdivisions, condominiums and
apartments to be used as bases for their illegal drug production. Private properties are
becoming more favorable to drug syndicates as sites of illegal drug production.
Methamphetamine remains more feasible to sell in the Philippines than cocaine, a more
costly illegal drug.
Owing to its geographical location, international drug syndicates use the
Philippines as a transit hub for the illegal drug trade. Some local drug syndicates are also
involved in the international illegal drug trade, and utilize drug mules to transport small
amounts of illegal drugs to other countries. Some overseas Filipino workers have been
utilized by drug syndicates as drug mules, either knowingly or unknowingly. Most
Filipino drug mules, mainly women, are sent to China, where drug convicts will face
execution via lethal injection. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport has been identified
as a favorable illegal drug trafficking hub.
Some Filipinos choose to be involved in drug trafficking due to the promise of a high
income. Some still participate in such illicit activity because they are forced by certain
circumstances. There were reports in the past that some Filipinos, usually women, were
forced and blackmailed by drug syndicates to work as drug couriers, and if they refused,
their family's safety would be compromised.
A Manila-based firm, Pacific Strategies & Assessments, identified the Philippines
as, "not only a transshipment point, but also a key producer of synthetic drugs for all of
Asia" in a report made in 2009. In December 2013, the Philippine National Police –
Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force and the Philippine Drug Enforcement
confirmed reports that the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel had started operations in the
country. Methamphetamine has also been manufactured in North Korea and brought into
the Philippines.
The Philippine drug war is the anti-drug policy and actions of the Philippine
government under President Rodrigo Duterte, who assumed office on June 30, 2016.
According to former Philippine National Police Chief and Senator Ronald dela Rosa, the
policy is aimed at "the neutralization of illegal drug personalities nationwide"
Duterte has urged members of the public to kill criminals and drug addicts. Research by
media organizations and human rights groups has shown that police routinely execute
unarmed drug suspects and then plant guns and drugs as evidence. Philippine authorities
have denied misconduct by police.
But thousands of people in the Philippines have been killed since President
Rodrigo Duterte launched his “war on drugs” on June 30, 2016, the day he took office.
Among those who died have been dozens of children under age 18 who were either
 ST. VINCENT COLLEGE OF CABUYAO
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BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY

specifically targeted or were inadvertently shot during anti-drug raids, what authorities
have called “collateral damage.” Philippine children’s rights nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs) put the total number of child fatalities at 101 from July 2016
through December 2018, both targeted and killed as bystanders. More deaths of children
have been reported in the media in 2019 and 2020.More broadly, official figures from the
Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency put the number
of “drug war” casualties at 5,601 deaths as of January 31, 2020. In virtually every case,
police claimed they killed a drug seller or user during a raid after the suspect resisted
arrest and fought back. The national Commission on Human Rights and domestic human
rights groups believe many thousands more – estimated at more than 27,000 – have been
killed by the police, agents of the police, or unidentified assailants.
The overwhelming majority of these killings have not been properly investigated.
According to the Philippine Department of Justice in January 2019, just 76 deaths have
led to investigations. Even then, only 33 resulted in court cases and 5 were pending
before the Office of the Prosecutor, while the prosecutor dismissed half – 38 cases. At
time of writing, only one case – the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos by three
police officers in August 2017, which happened to be captured on video – has resulted in
a trial and conviction.
Human Rights Watch also investigated the killings of adults in which police
showed little to no regard for the safety and welfare of children, often conducting raids in
the middle of the night while the entire family was at home. In many raids, children
witnessed the killing of a parent, or were present while their parent was dragged away
and shot.                                             
The harmful consequences for children of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign go
beyond the immediate violence of the raids. Many suffer psychological distress after
witnessing the killing of a loved one. Some children have had to leave their homes and
community, either going into hiding or relocating because they and their family members
feared for their lives. At school and in their own communities, some experienced bullying
because of the stigma of alleged drug use by a now deceased parent. Human Rights
Watch met one 5-year-old boy who developed aggressive and violent behavior after his
father’s gruesome killing. A number of children have stopped going to school because
they no longer had enough money for transportation, food, and school supplies.
The loss of a parent who is the main breadwinner can plunge an already impoverished
family into even more extreme poverty. Many children are left with no choice but to
work, and some end up homeless and living in the streets, further exposing themselves to
danger, violence, and criminal activity.
 ST. VINCENT COLLEGE OF CABUYAO
MAMATID, CABUYAO, LAGUNA

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY

Chapter 1

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Through the years, illegal drugs and drug addiction have been considered as one the
major problems in the Philippines. We cannot deny the fact that this matter has grown
immensely among our society affecting a lot of people most especially the youth. The
youth that is said to be “the hope of the future generations” is now slowly being eaten up by
this common vice. Xavier University has stepped up to take action through the National
Service Training Program (NSTP) wherein sessions and discussions on drugs is a
requirement. According to Republic Act 9165 known as the “Comprehensive Dangerous
Drugs Act of 2002” wherein it is the policy of the state to protect the citizens particularly
the youth against these harmful drugs. For NSTP, this law has been their foundation to
educate the students on the different drugs and its physical and mental effects to oneself
and the society. NSTP provides lectures and activities that would raise awareness and
enhance full knowledge within the students. This is also one way to achieve the objectives
of the law which is to pursue an intensive and strong campaign on the drugs. The classroom
lectures may seem to be a small thing but this could bring a big impact not only to the
youth but the community
Methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, and marijuana, are the most popular
drugs of choice among these users, followed by cough syrups and inhalants. There is no
exact figure of Filipino children confirmed as drug users. Trends however, show an
alarming rise in their number based on those who were confined in rehabilitation or
residential centres. According to the DDB, those aged 19 and below made up 18.49
percent of total patients in 1998, rising to 22.13 percent in 2001. The majority of patients
of these centres for the same period are from the 15-29 age group (61%). Drug use is also
prevalent among street children. Inhalants, such as rugby, are the substance of choice
among these children because it is cheap and readily available. According to the National
Program on Street Children being implemented by the Department of Social Work and
Community Development, about 90,000 kids living on the street were provided with
various assistance in 2001, including counselling, treatment for drug abuse, and
livelihood training for their parents. Records show that, in 2002, the number of barangays
(the basic political unit) with households having members who are drug abusers stood at
8.68 percent – or 3,645 of the country’s total of 41,945 barangays. Metropolitan Manila,
the Philippines’ socio-economic and political centre, has the highest number of drug-
affected barangays among the country’s 15 regions with 20 percent – or 332 of its 1,694
barangays. Next on the list is the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARRM)
with 18 percent, or 214 drug-affected barangays out of 1,172.
Drug-use and drug-related criminal offending are among the greatest concerns of
policy-makers, law-enforcement officials, scientists, physicians, and citizens alike. There
is a growing interest on the part of all parties to examine the causes, possible correlations,
and consequences of the drug-crime relationship. Furthermore, empirical evidence for the
relationship between drug addicts and violent criminal in offending is virtually
nonexistent, thus occurring less frequently than property and other non-violent crimes.
 ST. VINCENT COLLEGE OF CABUYAO
MAMATID, CABUYAO, LAGUNA

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY

Additionally, research has shown that robbery and other property crimes are considerably
higher during the drug addiction period than pre-addiction or non-addiction periods.
Studies involving shabu users typically report that users have higher rates of property and
violent crimes than those who do not use drugs or those who use the drug less frequently.
After years of research, the apparent conclusion is that crime inherently stems
from illegal drug use and that the commission of crimes encourages and supports
dependence of different types of drugs, such as amphetamine, cocaine, crack, heroin, and
marijuana (Anglin & Perrochet, 1998). Similarly, it has been noted that during periods
when narcotic addiction was on the rise, the rates of crime were six times higher (Nurco,
1998). Numerous other studies show that rates of crime increased during periods of drug
use. Much of this research focuses on the economic motivation model to explain the
relationship between the use of drugs and property crime. However, there is also
evidence that suggests that particular drugs, such as amphetamines, have a
pharmacological effect on people that increases their likelihood of committing a crime
(Gelles, 1994). Although the relationship between drug use and consequent criminal
involvement has been documented by these studies, there have been preexisting
differences in their analytical techniques. Some studies have even failed at established
that the commission of crime likely arises of an increase in drug use.
 ST. VINCENT COLLEGE OF CABUYAO
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BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY

THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
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BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to identify and assess the numbers of drug related crimes in cabuyao. 

Specifically, the study sought to answers to the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of drug suspects according to:

a. Age

b. Gender

c. Status symbol

d. Work status

2. What will be the benefits of this study in terms of:

a. Positive

b. Negative

3. What is the level of awareness of the PNP Cabuyao in the drug related crimes?

4. Based on the findings of the research, what are other suggestions can be addressed for

the drug related crimes?