BuyBust

As a result of the relentless efforts to eradicate the scourge of drugs from Philippine society, many of the country's barangays have been transformed into tranquil havens, free from the grip of addiction. Against this backdrop, the authorities turn their attention to Biggie Chen (Arjo Atayde), a notorious drug lord, whose whereabouts remain shrouded in mystery. Detectives Dela Cruz (Lao Rodriguez) and Alvarez (Nonie Buencamino) employ a stern interrogation tactic on Teban (Alex Calleja), a low-ranking drug dealer, in a bid to extract information about Chen's possible hideouts.

Their investigation ultimately leads them to the Barangay Gracia ni Maria in Tondo, Manila, where they launch a carefully planned "buy-bust" operation aimed at apprehending Chen. Meanwhile, Rookie police officer Nina Manigan (Anne Curtis), still reeling from the traumatic loss of her entire former squad during a botched drug raid orchestrated by corrupt officials, joins an elite anti-narcotic team with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). This new unit is tasked with taking down Chen and restoring justice to the streets.

Manigan's squad is deployed to execute a meticulously planned entrapment operation in Plaza Rajah Sulayman, utilizing Teban as bait to lure Chen into their trap. However, when Chen fails to materialize, the team splits into Alpha and Bravo units to scour the slums of Gracia ni Maria. Inside this labyrinthine neighborhood, Teban secretly meets with Chongki (Levi Ignacio) to facilitate a meet-up with Chen. Unbeknownst to them, however, their operation has been exposed as a ruse designed to massacre PDEA officers.

The Bravo team is decimated in the ensuing bloodbath, leaving Detective Dela Cruz as its sole survivor. The Alpha team, led by Lacson, falls back and finds itself trapped in a desperate struggle against ruthless slum dwellers and drug mafias. In this heart-pumping, adrenaline-fueled battle for survival, Manigan discovers that Dela Cruz is complicit in the illegal trade she has dedicated her life to combating. With a heavy heart, she takes matters into her own hands and exacts justice on Dela Cruz, marking a turning point in her journey as an anti-narcotic warrior.

As the frustration and desperation simmered among the residents of Gracia, a boiling point was reached, culminating in a catastrophic uprising against the oppressive forces of law enforcement and the ruthless drug lords. The ensuing maelstrom claimed the lives of Rico, Bernie, Teban, Chongki, Solomon, Manok, and nearly 300 innocent civilians, their fates forever entwined with the chaos that engulfed the streets.

In the aftermath, Chen fell into the authorities' clutches, while Manigan, the sole survivor of her squad, discovered the shocking truth: Detective Alvarez was the mastermind behind Chen's illegal dealings. As Manigan languished in police custody, she witnessed Alvarez conducting a hushed conversation regarding "loose ends" over the phone. The eerie calm that followed gave way to a brutal reality when Alvarez coldly dispatched Chen. Seizing the opportunity, Manigan wrestled with Alvarez for his gun, ultimately claiming his life and that of his cohorts. In a desperate bid to cover her tracks, she shot herself in the leg before planting the gun on Chen's lifeless form and appropriating Alvarez's phone as potential evidence.

As the PDEA agents interrogated Manigan regarding the events, she stoically maintained that Chen had put up a fierce fight. The film concludes with a news broadcast claiming only 13 lives were lost during the encounter – a stark contrast to the grim reality depicted on screen, where hundreds of lifeless bodies lay scattered across the landscape.