‘Shabu’ falls from man’s pocket at airport check

CEBU, Philippines - A Japan-bound passenger ended up in jail after airport personnel saw a small sachet of suspected shabu fall from his pocket during a security check early Tuesday morning.

Margarito dela Cruz, 38, is now detained in a Lapu-Lapu City Police Office holding cell and will face charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) for allegedly possessing illegal drugs.

Personnel from the Office for Transportation Safety flagged down Dela Cruz during the initial security check at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport past 4 a.m. that day. He was supposed to board a Japan Airlines flight to Narita, Japan.

According to Senior Superintendent Joselito Salido, chief of Aviations Security Group-7, security personnel at the airport were able to seize a small sachet of drugs that had allegedly dropped from Dela Cruz’s pocket.

Salido said Dela Cruz later admitted to the police that the confiscated shabu was for his “personal consumption.”

Even though the apprehension involved just a small sachet of drugs, Salido said they are nonetheless determined to press charges on Dela Cruz as a way of reminding passengers that such items remain strictly prohibited, especially within the airport premises.

Aside from drugs, live ammunitions and amulets are also prohibited at the airport, said Salido.

Meanwhile, police arrested a certain Alex Ompad, 39, during a buy-bust in Sitio Ibabao, Barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City on Monday evening.

Senior Inspector Vernino Noserale, City Intelligence Branch chief of LCPO, said 23 small sachets and a medium pack of suspected shabu were seized from Ompad’s possession at around 10:36 p.m.

The drugs confiscated from Ompad were worth P86,000 based on the Dangerous Drugs Board valuation, said Noserale.

Noserale said Ompad was arrested after he allegedly handed two small sachets to the police poseur buyer. — Christell Fatima M. Tudtud (FREEMAN)