Woman, 58, faces drug complaints

CEBU, Philippines - Criminal complaints have been filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7 against a 58-year-old woman arrested last week for alleged drug peddling.

The NBI-7 has filed complaints for selling and possession of illegal drugs against Zenaida Amplayo, resident of San Roque, Mambaling,  before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

Lawyer Antonio Pagatpat, NBI-7 director, said that the three other suspects Bryan Amplayo and spouses Giovanni and Pifer Gutierrez have been released from custody after interrogation. Pagatpat said the three were not part of the illegal activities of Zenaida.

Zenaida was arrested Friday last week during a buy-bust operation led by special investigator Larry Dominquez. After the buy-bust, a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Silvestre Maamo was subsequently served against Zenaida.

NBI operatives seized from her two packs of shabu and P20,000 cash. She is allegedly in the watch list of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Meanwhile, Pagatpat said that a separate complaint for illegal possession of drugs will be filed soon against James Okwudili Uyanneh, 53, a Nigerian national earlier arrested during a buy-bust operation.

Pagatpat said, the case is for the 700 grams of shabu amounting to P3.5 million that his men recovered inside the suspect’s apartment in Yati, Liloan, Cebu during a follow-up operation following his arrest in Mandaue City.

NBI operatives arrested Uyanneh inside a motel after selling 70 grams of shabu worth P350,000 to agent Bernard dela Cruz.

Uyanneh was already charged for violation of Section 5, Article II of Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act in Mandaue City. (FREEMAN)