Woman charged for selling shabu

CEBU, Philippines - A criminal complaint for drug selling has been filed against the live-in partner of the younger brother of the Carcar City incumbent mayor before the Regional Trial Court yesterday.

The court recommended no bail against Jewelyn Rentuma, the live-in partner of Aquillo Barcenas, brother of Carcar City Mayor Patrick Barcenas after being caught selling drugs to the police during an operation last April 22.

Rentuma was allegedly with Aquillo, 40, who managed to elude arrest, when policemen tried to chase him along the highway.

Police were able to confiscate illegal drugs from them weighing more than 30 grams during a buy-bust operation.

The couple was both charged for the offense before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office but since Aquillo is still on hiding, Rentuma’s case was filed in court first.

According to PO3 Armando Labora, an informant went to their office and reported about the ongoing peddling of drugs outside the Carmen Otik Pension House.

Undercover policemen were negotiating with Rentuma and Aquillo for the illegal drugs. It was Rentuma who allegedly approached the poseur buyer and later handed the marked money to Aquillo, who then got something from a bag and handed it to Rentuma.

But when the policemen moved in, Aquillo was able to notice them and ran to a nearby motorcycle and sped away. A policeman chased him and managed to grab his bag but the suspect was able to escape.

Labora said the bag contained eight packs of suspected shabu worth at least P240,000; a .45 caliber pistol; magazine with bullets, weighing scale and other drug sniffing paraphernalia.

Rentuma was given seven days to answer the charges but failed to do so, thus the filing of charges. — THE FREEMAN