FUENTE POLICE QUESTIONED FOR ARRESTING, CHARGING 5 BAR GIRLS OVER PACK OF
SHABU

ARE cops using police checkpoints as a venue for abuse and oppression?

The question was raised late Thursday afternoon as court reporters
witnessed members of the Fuente Police Station file drug possession charges
against five bar girls caught with shabu at a supposed checkpoint Wednesday
dawn.

All five Thelma de la Calzada, Joy Rizon, Aida Cuyos, Nardiza Cabuenas and
Shiela Mae Morales were charged even though, based on the policemen's own
joint affidavit, only one pack of shabu was recovered in the incident.

Also, the pack was found not in the hands of one of the girls but under the
drivera TMs seat of the taxi the ladies were in when they were stopped at a
checkpoint on Gen. Maxilom Ave., near the former Foodarama.

The policemen, SPO2 Rex Cabrera, PO2 Albert Makinano and PO1 Dennis Labra,
weren't able to establish who owned the shabu but they arrested the five
and let the driver go.

According to the policemen, this is because they saw through the cab's
windows that the ladies were passing the shabu around.

They then proceeded with the filing of the complaint and detained the five
ladies overnight.

Finding inconsistencies, City Prosecutor Jose Pedorsa ordered a thorough
analysis of the complaint affidavit, saying that procedures dictate that
only one persona "the one found actually holding the drugs "should be
charged with illegal possession.

"Charging more than one person for illegal possession can only happen if
there is a pot session," he said.

He maintained that since the five were inside a taxi, it is improbable that
they were conducting a pot session inside the vehicle.

Assistant City Prosecutor Enriquietta Belarmino, who is handling the
preliminary investigation of the complaint, has called for a clarificatory
hearing to thresh out the matter.

She also ordered the five girls to submit their counter-affidavit, which
the girls promptly did.

In their counter-affidavit prepared by the Office of the Public Attorney,
the girls called the allegations against them "overly exaggerated,
incredible, impossible and lies."

They asked that a reenactment of the search be conducted, to show the
prosecutor what actually happened.

One of the girls told Sun.Star the police forced one of them to admit to
the possession rap and the others would be freed. They must also help
secure the P18,000 bond that the court would most likely impose on the one
caught with the drug.

Upon hearing this, sources at the Palace hint that the complaint against
the five was filed just so the police could cash in on the commissions bond
companies offer to those who could bring detained suspects to them.

The word at the Palace of Justice is that this is a common practice among
policemen.