Manila police have arrested 37 people in a raid on a ?mini-flea market of shabu? in Sta. Cruz, Manila, said a ranking offical.

In Pasay City, village officials were criticized for protecting drug offenders, managing to have those arrested go scot-free.

Supt. Romulo Sapitula, Manila Police Station 3 commander, said the operation about 2 p.m. on Tuesday was made in Dimasalang at a squatter colony near the railroad.

?It was like a mini-shabu tiangge where buyers could use their stuff right there,? he said, referring to the so-called shabu superstore near Pasig City hall that was dismantled in January 2006.

Manila Police director, Chief Supt. Roberto Rosales, sent Scene of the Crime Operatives to do random drug tests in the vicinity while commending the raiding team.

Sapitula said agents in test buys learned that shanties were rented out to customers for P5 to P10.

Pasay police chief, Senior Supt. Raul Petrasanta, said village executives intercede on the offenders? behalf.

?Most of the time, those we have arrested are relatives and friends of these barangay officials,? he said, without mentioning names.

Sta. Cruz police operatives led by SPO3 Carmelo Garlando and anti-illegal drugs unit head Insp. Jhonny Gaspar raided the place armed with search warrants.

To prevent any tip-off, Sapitula said he sequestered the raiding team?s cell phones, and revealed the hit only where they were near the target.

?I made sure the operation would not burn out. It cannot be avoided that some scalawags are in cahoots with drug syndicates.? Jing Villamente and Ferdinand Fabella