Man nabbed for drugs, theft

CEBU, Philippines - A man who was arrested for illegal drugs was identified as the same person who was caught on camera stealing from a hospital in the city, last Tuesday night in Barangay Tinago.

Twenty-eight-year-old Ronald Zamayla alias Dimple, will be facing charges for possession of illegal drugs and theft.

Chief Insp. Alexis Relado, head of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the Cebu City Police Office said Zamayla was caught in the act of possessing drug paraphernalia, particularly an improvised tooter and funnel, a disposable lighter, and paper wicks.

Relado said that under his supervision, his men conducted an operation against all forms of illegal activities in Barangay Tinago when they chanced upon the suspect along the road at past 10 pm last Tuesday.

Operatives conducted a body search on Zamayla which led to the recovery of three plastics packs of suspected shabu from his possession.

Relado told reporters that Zamayla, a native of Toril, Davao City, is the same person who was caught by the security camera of the Cebu Doctors Hospital last December 11 stealing the bag of couple Ma. Gracia and Anthony Hulve.

The IDMB chief said the suspect’s strategy was to introduce himself as a relative of a certain patient so that he could get inside their rooms.

“Mag-pose na siya as a relative then kuhaon niya ang visible na gamit. (He poses as a relative and gets things from the room),” said Relado.

He said they are checking the same cases from other hospitals which may have also been victimized by the suspect.

After his arrest, the suspect yielded a high-end cellular phone and a lady’s wristwatch, which he reportedly kept in Barangay Pasil.

The suspect, in an interview, admitted the crime but claimed that he has only done this once.

Poverty, he said, forced him to steal.– (FREEMAN)