Minor courier found with drugs worth P240 thousand

CEBU, Philippines — A 16-year-old boy was taken into custody by police after he was found with P240,000 worth of suspected shabu in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City, last Thursday evening.

Policemen were conducting a roving operation in the said area when they came upon the minor with four medium and 45 small packs of suspected shabu weighing 20 grams and estimated at P236,000.

Police were also on the lookout for minors serving as drug couriers after receiving reports.

"Kailangan natin i-file 'yung case, kasi illegal drugs 'yan, it's up to the prosecutor kung mag pro-prosper 'yung kaso… when it comes to drug-related cases kasi, kailangan tutukan natin yan kung user, we consider them as victims, kung pusher definitely ibang usapan na yan," said Cebu City Police Office Director, Senior Superintendent Joel Doria, when asked if a case will be filed against the minor.

Doria added that a deeper investigation must be conducted in order to determine where the minor got the ample amount of suspected shabu and if he has any accomplices.

Police Officer 1 Jerlie Diaz from The Women and Children's Protection Desk of the San Nicolas Police Station said that the mother of the minor was shocked upon knowing that her son was arrested due to the incident.

"Wala iyang mama (at the time of the arrest) kay nag-atiman iyang mama sa iyang papa (the minor's grandfather) nga naa sa Banawa, kay in and out sa hospital," Diaz said.

The minor's family was one of the victims of the fire that hit the barangay about four months ago.

Diaz added that according to the minor's mother, her son chose not to live with her in Barangay Guadalupe and instead stayed in Pasil. She added that despite their situation, she still visits her son often and calls him whenever she gets off work.

"Nihangyo ni sa iyahang mama nga anha lang siya sa barong-barong nga nahibilin sa sunog aron dili mapulihan sa lugar...ug (in case) naa pay hinabang nga maabot," Diaz said.

The evening her son was arrested was only that one time she failed to call him.

The minor is now temporarily under the custody of the San Nicolas Police Station while the police are still coordinating with Department of Social Welfare and Services.

Meanwhile, a member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines gone absent without leave was arrested for having in possession assorted drug paraphernalia and suspected shabu early dawn last Thursday in Sitio City Central, Barangay Luz, Cebu City.

Police said Corporal Arnold Romano Rodriguez, 38, a resident of Sitio Upper Calvary Hills, Barangay Apas, Cebu City, also had an existing warrant of arrest for malversation of public property.

The police allegedly arrested him in the act of using shabu with other two drug suspects, Joel and Rey Bahian, both residents of Sitio City Central. The two were also arrested for having assorted drug paraphernalia.

"Nag-conduct ta og One Time Big Time (operation) pag-abot nato didto sa area, naa'y naagian nato ang suspect open ang iyang bintana makita nato didto kung unsa ilang gibuhat… Nakita nato siya naglukot og tin foil," said Police Officer 1 Isidro Rosaldo of the Mabolo Police Station, the arresting officer.

Rodriguez was found with two tinfoil tooters, a disposable lighter, and a hand-rolled tissue used as a wick. The police also confiscated two small sachets of suspected shabu from the suspect estimated at P1,000.

The suspects are now detained at the Mabolo Police Station. — Patricia Faith T. Santillan and Shaira Nicole M. Ymbong, STC interns/BRP (FREEMAN)