No switching of evidence in “fake drug” arrest

As far as the reinvestigation by prosecutors is concerned, no switching of evidence happened in the case involving over 20 grams of purported shabu that turned out to be alum powder.

Prosecutor Fernando Gubalane yesterday said that after meeting with the policemen concerned, it was established that the chain of custody was not broken since the time the five packs of shabu were seized during the buy-bust operation until the time they were subjected to laboratory examination.

Laboratory results eventually showed that the seized substance had no trace of methamphetamine hydrochloride, the chemical composition of shabu but only alum powder or “tawas”.The National Bureau of Investigation later confirmed these findings.

PO3 Rey Albotra, the policeman who acted as the poseur-buyer during the operation, also identified the packs of shabu as the same ones handed over to him by couple Rolando and Aisha May Cuizon.The couple has been released from police custody after the prosecutor’s office dismissed the drug complaint earlier filed against them.

Earlier, former Regional State Prosecutor Antonio Arellano directed the city prosecutor’s office to conduct further investigation into the matter after allegations of possible evidence switching surfaced.Arellano specifically directed the office to undertake “exhaustive investigation of the said case.”

With the confiscated shabu turning out to be alum power, the prosecutor’s office recommended the dismissal of the complaint against the Cuizon couple but Arellano said he did not approve the recommendation and instead ordered for the reinvestigation of the complaint.

The Cuizons were arrested last June 29 and it was only two days after the buy-bust operation that police were able to file the case at the prosecutor’s office because of the delay in the release of the laboratory results. — Joeberth M. Ocao/BRP