Pubdate: Sun, 17 Aug 2003
Source: Sunstar Dumaguete (Philippines)
Contact:  http://www.sunstar.com.ph/dumaguete/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2984

COP NABBED IN DRUG CASE RELEASED

A POLICE officer nabbed for taking illegal drugs was released Friday 
morning after the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) failed 
to file charges for inquest proceedings because of the unavailability of 
the assistant prosecutor assigned to handle illegal drugs cases.

CIDG Provincial Head Crisaleo Tolentino stressed that the charges to be 
filed against the arrested police officer for allegedly using illegal drugs 
in Barangay Looc Wednesday evening would now fall under regular filing.

The suspect, PO3 Simplicio Ricana, Jr., assigned with the 704th Provincial 
Mobile Group based in Nagbagang, Sta. Catalina town, was released from 
custody around 9 a.m. Friday.

Tolentino said PO3 Ricana has been under surveillance by his men following 
reports that he was involved in illegal drugs.

The suspect was caught in the act of sniffing shabu in a hideout in Looc 
village and was subsequently arrested along the national highway in front 
of Central Visayas Polytechnic College (CVPC) around 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Confiscated from him were big and a small plastic sachets containing shabu, 
illegal drug paraphernalia and a Philippine National Police (PNP) 
identification card.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman