Prevalent among LGBTQ community says report

THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) headed by Major General Edgar Alan O. Okubo, in coordination with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), is currently investigating the reported addiction to “liquid shabu” by some members of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) community in several parts of Metro Manila, the Journal Group learned on Saturday.

PAOCC Executive Director Gilbert DC Cruz said they are particularly monitoring a number of small hotels in Quezon City where some members of the gay community have reportedly committed “strange acts” after taking the drug.

He cited an incident of alarm and scandal that took place at a popular motel chain in Cubao, QC, around 9:10 a.m. last January 29. An investigation by the QCPD (Quezon City Police District) under Brigadier Gen. Nicolas D. Torre III showed that members of the QCPD Station 7 who responded to the incident apprehended an individual who seemed to be “out of his mind” while running naked.

After the suspect was subdued and placed under arrest, officers entered his rented room, where they recovered disposable syringes containing suspected “liquid illegal drugs.”

A 2nd similar incident of alarm and scandal occurred at a different hotel in Cubao around 4 a.m. last February 23. In that incident, the suspect again appeared to be out of his mind and apparently under the influence of drugs.

When officers checked the man’s rented room, they found a white powder suspected to be illegal drugs and disposable syringes containing liquid substances.

Last March 6, a member of the LGBTQ community appeared before the QCPD to reveal an incident involving his friend who was reportedly victimized by illegal drugs after using an online application called “Grinder,” which the former described as an “LGBTQ dating site.”

The informant said that before being granted access to the said application site, the applicant will be interviewed and verified thru video call.

Once the applicant or client is verified to be a member of the LGBTQ, the administrator will grant the client access to the site wherein special offers will be made, such as intimate dating and even the use of illegal drugs, according to the tipster.

Acting on information provided by the informant, QCPD undercover officers conducted two anti-narcotics operations at a different hotel in Cubao, which led to the arrest of eight members of the LGBTQ community.

Recovered from the suspects were suspected shabu and disposable syringes.

All are now facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

During questioning, the arrested suspects claimed that the injectable solution is composed of finely powdered shabu dissolved in distilled water and injected directly into the body to maximize the effects of the drug.

The arrested suspects also revealed that they often use four hotels/motels around the Cubao area to conduct their drug sessions and eventual orgies.

The NCRPO and the QCPD have asked for the full cooperation of the management of said hotels in reporting the presence of suspected drug users in their establishments.

Other small hotels outside QC are also being watched by the PAOCC and the NCRPO for accepting guests involved in similar illegal drug activities, the Journal Group learned.