Drug suspect cleared, jailed anew

SHE was barely out of prison before she was arrested anew on new drug charges.

Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Macaundas Hadjirasul of Branch 8 cleared Chuebe Lim and Edna Flores of drug charges after noting the failure of arresting officers to conduct an inventory of drug items in front of witnesses.

But Lim was back in jail after police served another arrest warrant on her. Hadjirasul also ruled that the seized items be disposed.

The judge said the police didn’t present the informant who reported the drug activities of the two women.

Lim faced charges for selling 4.89 grams of suspected shabu contained in big plastic packs along with 1.74 medium packs of shabu.

Lim and Flores were also charged with selling 4.42 grams of shabu.

The two women were arrested in a buy-bust operation in barangay Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City, on Feb. 3, 2010.

Lim allegedly accepted P35,000 as payment and handed one medium pack of shabu to a police asset.

Policemen frisked Lim and found one more pack of shabu in her possession.

Lim said she and Flores were about to open their vehicle when Supt. Pablo Labra and Chief Insp. Aileen Recla approached them.

She said they were brought by Labra to the South Road Properties (SRP) where Recla had them undressed and searched.

Lim claimed that while nothing was found in their possession, Labra threatened to frame them if they don’t give information of anyone engaged in illegal drugs.

It was the fourth time Lim was arrested on drug charges, the police said.

Lim’s name was also in the watch list of persons involved in the illegal drug trade exposed by former congressman Antonio Cuenco.

Lim was previously sentenced to eight to 12 years imprisonment for possession of illegal drugs.

Under section 21, paragraph 1 of Republic Act 7610 or the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002, the apprehending team is required to conduct a physical inventory of the seized drug items in front of witnesses and the lawyer of the accused.

These include a representative from the media and the Department of Justice (DOJ), and any elected public official who will be required to sign and acquire copies of the inventory.

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, who heads the Cebu City police’s City Intelligence Branch (CIB), said Lim’s acquittal taught them the importance of handling evidence recovered from drug suspects.

He said a suspected drug pusher whose name was included in the watch list was arrested by CIB operatives in a buy bust operation conducted in barangay Lorega San Miguel.

Efren Cantos Coyoca Jr. was arrested after he was allegedly caught selling a medium pack of suspected shabu to a police asset.

Charges were filed against him before the Cebu City’s Prosecutor’s Office.