GUIGUINTO—A mansion inside the Rosaryville Subdivision in Barangay Sta. Cruz once owned by movie starlet Angelina Gallaron (screen name Evita Evora) is now the newest reformatory center for drug dependents in this town.
The three-story house, that could easily be sold for P15 million, sits on a 750-square meter lot in the housing village owned by the diocese of the Catholic Church, adjacent to the Tabang Exit of the North Luzon Expressway.
It was raided by police intelligence agents led by then-Major (now retired general) Richard Albano in the late 1990s during the time of provincial director Ret. Gen. Noe Wong. Evora and her live-in partner, a suspected large-scale drug pusher in that decade, were arrested with two other cohorts and several high-end sports car and SUVs were seized.
The property was abandoned by the owner due to unpaid tax delinquencies and was bought by the municipal government sometime in the year 2005. The former dope den was converted into a training facility of Tesda until Mayor Ambrosio Cruz ordered its refurbishing for its new purpose.
The house itself is a story of transformation. Its conversion from a former drug lair into a reformatory center will not only be a complete remodeling of its interior design.
Malolos Mayor Christian Natividad also led the blessing and opening of “Bahay Pagbabago” in Barangay Ligas, together with OIC-provincial director Sr. Supt. Romeo Caramat Jr.
Like in Guiguinto, the Malolos reformatory house will treat and rehab an initial 50 dependents who were voluntarily surrendered by their parents.
Meanwhile, a notorious kidnapping and carnapping suspect was arrested after a shootout with lawmen in the suspect’s lair in Matiyaga Street in Barangay Bagong Buhay II in San Jose del Monte City on Saturday evening.
Caramat, acting provincial director of Bulacan, identified the suspect as Fernando Francisco alias “Enan,” 33, of Block 62, Lot 23, Area B, Purok 2, Barangay Bagong Buhay II.
Francisco has a standing warrant for kidnapping and violation of Republic Act 6539 (Anti-Carnapping Act) issued by Bulacan regional trial court Judge Hermenegildo Dumlao of Branch 81.
He said that in the city alone, some 3,000 drug users and dealers have surrendered to him after feeling the heat of President Rodrigo Duterte’s relentless war against drugs.
“The resources of the city government will reform, detox and offer new opportunity to our lost brothers and sisters. We will help them through mental, physical, spiritual renewal then give them means of livelihood after rehabilitation,” the mayor said.
Last week, Natividad launched the two-month “Tokhang Unity Games” as part of the rehabilitation’s physical fitness programs for drug dependents to detoxify their body from long-time substance abuse.
The city government is also set to sign a memorandum of agreement with industrial corporations in the city to hire rehabilitated ‘reformists’ under the supervision of the city’s Health and Social Officers.
Reformatory houses are sprouting like mushrooms shortly after the visit of Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa who personally opened the reformation center inside the provincial police headquarters in Camp Gen. Alejo Santos in Malolos last month.
Another “Bahay Pagbabago” was also opened and became functional one after the other in the towns of Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, Bocaue.
Hagonoy Mayor Raulito ‘Amboy’ Manlapaz also led the opening of the Hagonoy Reformatory Center last Monday. Scheduled to be opened this week are the drug rehab center in the city of Meycauayan initiated by Mayor Henry Villarica and Vice Mayor Jojo Manzano who is also the provincial anti-drug convenor chairman.