BEN (not his real name), who was arrested Thursday night for possessing 20 grams of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu, is only 16 years old.
But Senior Supt. Joel Doria, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said charges will have to be filed against the boy next week for the violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“Kailangan natin i-file ’yong case and it’s up to the prosecutor kung magproposper ’yong kaso (We will have to file the case and it will now be up to the (city) prosecutor to decide if the case should prosper),” said Doria.
“Kung user siya considered siya na victim. If pusher definitely ibang usapan na yan (If he were a user then we will consider him a victim. But if he is a pusher, that is a totally different story),” he added.
Doria said they will also coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) in investigating the boy’s case to make sure that his rights are protected.
The CCPO director said that he has also directed San Nicolas police to identify Ben’s drug supplier especially with the large volume of drugs confiscated from his possession.
Doria has also warned Ben’s parents and parents of other minors that they will have to face sanctions if found during the police investigation that they consented to their children’s illegal drug activities.
Ben was arrested by San Nicolas police for carrying P230,000 worth of shabu while in the vicinity of Sitio Lawis in Barangay Pasil, Thursday night.