Beauty queen also drug queen?

CEBU, Philippines —  A 22-year-old beauty queen, who allegedly also supplies party drugs, was arrested in a buy-bust operation yesterday dawn along Escario Street, Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City.

Police identified the arrested beauty queen as Teri Marina Silva Colmenares, residing along General Echavez Street, Barangay Zapatera, Cebu City.

Colmenares represented Carmen town in the Binibining Cebu 2018 and reached the top 25 but failed to win the crown.

Senior Inspector Dexter Basirgo, Guadalupe Police Station chief, said her arrest was a result of an earlier buy-bust operation where the suspect named her as the source.

In the operation conducted against Colmenares, police poseur-buyer were allegedly able to buy two sachets of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) also known as Kush weeds.

Found in her possession were another two sachets and seven plastic bags of the same suspected illegal substance. Police estimated the confiscated drugs to be worth P90,000.

The suspect's cellphone allegedly used in the transaction and her Honda Sports Utility Vehicle which she used to go to meetup points were also confiscated as evidence in the case.

However, Colmenares denied the allegations, instead pointing her boyfriend as the real drug peddler.

"Pagdakop wala g’yud siya mitingog pero ganina nakastorya nako ang iyang abogado, niingon nga gikan daw to sa uyab sa babaye. Pero siya (Colmenares) man g’yud ang atong naka-transaction,” Basirgo explained.

Another type of drug confiscated from Colmenares is considered high-grade because it was made from marijuana buds.

"Mura ra ni siya og papel nga gamay unya ipa-melt sa dila. Mas sipa pa ni siya sa marijuana dried leaves," he said.

Because of its paper-like appearance, it cannot be easily detected and can be transmitted across the country through courier services.

Basirgo said the series of operations leading to the arrest of Colmenares started after a rape victim asked for their assistance last December 8.

The victim was allegedly invited by a male friend to a birthday party, but before going to the venue he asked her to ingest a small, paper-like substance. The next thing she knew, she has already been raped inside the suspect's apartment.

The rape suspect was arrested and said a man named Nicole Allan Pajo Casiño, 24, was his drug supplier. Casiño, a 4th year Engineering student in one of the top universities of the region, was also apprehended by the Guadalupe police through a buy-bust operation.

This happened along Escario Street, the night before the operation against Colmenares was launched.

Two sachets of the same type of drugs and another six packs of suspected marijuana were also seized from Casiño, who named Colmenares as his drug source.

"Gigamit nato ang cellphone ni Nicole sa pag pakig-transact kay nisalig na man ni siya aning Nicole," said Basirgo.

Colmenares will now be facing charges for possession and sale of illegal drugs.

Basirgo warned the public against using and selling illegal drugs.

"Atong pagkatao ang mapukan. Tan-awa gud si Nicole, hayag pa unta iyang kaugmaon pero unsaon man nga nisulod man sa pagpamaligya og drogas. Ang drogas makaguba sa kinabuhi," Basirgo said.

He also warned the public, especially the teenagers, to be knowledgeable about the different kind of drugs to avoid being victimized by date rape drugs. — BRP (FREEMAN)