“She acted with discernment” Minor drug suspect to face trial in court

CEBU, Philippines -  The 15-year-old girl who was arrested for selling Nubain will be charged for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 after she was found to have acted with discernment.

Inspector Arieza Otida, chief of the Women’s and Children’s Protection Desk of the Cebu City Police Office, said the Department of Social Welfare and Development  found that the minor suspect was aware that she was selling illegal drugs.

 “She was selling it for a long time so the DSWD found out that she was aware of what she was selling,” Otida said.

Her 13-year-old sister, however, will be released to the custody of DSWD while their mother is still in the hospital after giving birth. The 13-year-old is exempted of any criminal liability under the Juvenile Justice Act.

According to Otida, the 15-year-old suspect had been into illegal drug trade for more than three years now.

Otida said they are looking at the possibility of holding the parents accountable for their children’s involvement in illegal drugs. But she said they are still checking on the situation of the mother.

“We are checking on the mother’s current situation…we do not want the newly born to be affected,” Otida said, adding that the mother was already informed of the arrest.

The 15-year-old girl will be detained at a facility for minors in Barangay Pari-an.

Both minors were arrested by the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Intelligence Branch during a buy-bust operation Monday evening in Barangay Kamagayan.

They were caught on the act of selling ampules of Nubain to undercover police operatives. At least 63 ampules of Nubain were confiscated from them.

The suspects reportedly get P5 to P10 commission for each ampule of Nubain sold. An ampule of Nubain is sold at P150 to P200.  (FREEMAN)