Minor, half brother arrested for selling marijuana

CEBU, Philippines - Police yesterday arrested a 16-year-old student for allegedly selling marijuana at the Argao National High School in Barangay Canbanua in the southern town of Argao.

The suspect was arrested during a buy-bust operation inside the school.

Later in the afternoon, the minor’s 21-year-old half brother was arrested in a follow-up operation in Barangay Talaytay.

The minor was arrested just as he handed over a stick of marijuana to the police asset in exchange for P20. Also seized from him were three other marijuana sticks placed inside a red Mighty cigarette pack, a cellular phone, P150 cash believed to his proceeds from selling the sticks, and the P20 buy-bust money.

Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos said the minor refused to disclose his source of the marijuana sticks but during interrogation, his mobile phone received a text message that reads, “kumusta hurot ang atong stock?”

This prompted the police to arrange a meet-up with the message sender at the foot bridge near the school. The sender turned out to be the minor’s half brother.

Confiscated from him were two packs of green Mighty cigarettes containing 32 marijuana sticks amounting to P480, two boxes of Commando matches containing dried marijuana leaves amounting to P540 placed inside a small blue plastic sachet.   

Batobalonos said the half brother claimed to be getting the marijuana from Dalaguete town, but refused to divulge the name of the source.

The marijuana seized from both suspects was taken to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory at the Camp Sotero Cabahug for chemical analysis.

Police said the tobacco inside the cigarette stick was reportedly replaced with dried marijuana leaves and is being sold at P15 to students.

The minor is now under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Both he and his half brother will be facing charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. — (FREEMAN)