3 men, pregnant woman face drugs charges

CEBU, Philippines - Four persons, one of whom is a pregnant woman, are facing charges in court for alleged drug use and possession.

The city prosecutor's office elevated the case against Wendrex Arias, 36; Leo Potot, 22; Bryan Ledesma, 23; and Irene Duyag after the suspects failed to answer the allegations at the fiscal's level. They manifested to answer the charges formally in court.

The four are facing charges for violation of Section 11, Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Earlier, the NBI, led by special investigator Larry Dominguez served a search warrant at a suspected drug den or "shabu tiange" in Barangay Pulangbato, Cebu City. The subject of the warrant was a certain Rodelio Miñoza alias Tatay.

But the NBI did not find anything at Miñoza's house and other people in the area scampered away when they arrived. However, the four suspects were found in a pot session and the NBI confiscated shabu weighing 3.6334 grams from them. The NBI also seized drugs paraphernalia, a grenade and motor bikes from the site.

"…may nagtimbre…pagdating namin doon itong apat lang ang nandon," he said.

Dominguez said they learned that the drug den has been existing for three years.

Dominguez reportedly conducted surveillance of the area for three months before they hatched the operation.

Potot and Ledesma denied using shabu and said they only happened to be in the area when the NBI raided the place.  (FREEMAN)