Nurse falls in buy-bust

CEBU, Philippines - A woman who claimed to be a registered nurse was arrested for illegal possession of P1.8 million worth of illegal drugs during a buy-bust operation in Talisay City Friday evening.

Leonarda Macauyag Lim, 51, of Lower Pakigne, Minglanilla, was caught with 6,000 ampules of Nalbuphine Hydrochloride otherwise known as “Nubain” by the operatives of the Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Branch at the parking lot of a mall in Barangay Bulacao.

PIDMB operatives led by Supt. Henry Biñas received information two weeks ago about the alleged illegal activities of Lim. A surveillance operation was conducted using a police decoy until the buy-bust operation was hatched.

Cebu Provincial Police Office director Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador said their operatives ordered 2,000 ampules worth P600,000 from Lim.

An undercover policeman agreed to meet Lim at the parking lot of Gaisano Tabunok at 7:00 p.m. Friday. Shortly before the operation, police operatives had already pre-positioned themselves in the area.

After receiving the buy-bust money, Lim was immediately placed under arrest. Policemen found two more boxes or 4,000 ampules of Nubain from her possession.

The illegal drugs were submitted for laboratory examination at the PNP Crime Laboratory.

Comendador said Lim has been selling Nubain to support her five children after she and her husband got separated.

Based on intelligence report, Lim is one of the biggest suppliers of Nubain in Metro Cebu.

Lim will be charged for violation of Sections 5 and 11 of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, a non-bailable crime.

Comendador said Lim did not have a permit from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to sell the drugs.

The Dangerous Drugs Board has included Nubain on its list of dangerous drugs.

Nubain possession carries a penalty of life imprisonment. This supersedes a Cebu City ordinance which only imposes a one-year imprisonment or a P5,000 fine.

Comendador said they are intensifying their campaign against drug pushers and users.

“Because they ruin people’s lives, especially those of the youth that’s why we are going after them,” Comendador said.

The CCPO director said this is their biggest haul so far this year. —  /FPL (FREEMAN)