Man to face trial for drugs

CEBU, Philippines – The Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor recommended no bail against a 40-year-old man who yielded more than 10 packs of shabu from his possession.

Prosecutor Maria Theresa Calibugan-Casiño held Lope Cabras, a resident of Sitio Bonbon, Barangay Labangon, for trial after finding probable cause against him for violation of Sections 5 and 11 of Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act 2002.

Cabras was arrested by the police after he was caught in the act handing a pack of shabu to a person near his residence around 11 a.m. on September 18.

Police Officer 1 Remon Calumboy of the Cebu City Public Safety Company said in his affidavit that while they were conducting police patrol along the narrow alleys in the area, he heard muffled voices of men as he approached an intersection.

He reportedly made a detour and saw Cabras was about to hand a plastic pack to another person. Calumboy immediately held the arms of Cabras and of his companion and shouted for assistance from the other policemen.

However, the companion of Cabras managed to escape from Calumboy’s grip before the reinforcement arrived.

“The incident happened very fast that it took a moment for me to shout for help to my teammates.  Because of the tight space we were in, my teammates’ assistance came in too late that caused the companion of Lope D. Cabras to evade arrest,” Calumboy’s affidavit read.

The police recovered two packs of shabu from the left hand of Cabras and P300 from his right hand. The police seized 10 more packs of shabu from his possession when frisked.

During the inquest proceedings before Casiño, Cabras waived his right to undergo preliminary investigation and opted not to file a counter-affidavit to answer the allegations against him.

Cabras is currently detained at Cebu City Jail while his case before the Regional Trial Court will be heard. —/FPL (FREEMAN)