Cops arrest French student for ‘grass’

Manila Police arrested early yesterday in Malate, Manila, a French student of the Philippine Christian University for alleged illegal drug possession.

Police identified the suspect as Karim Amrani, 21, fourth year college student of 257 Washington St., Makati City.

According to police, Amrani, who presented a French passport, was initially accosted by police after his white Nissan Altima with license plates UBY-888 was found illegally parked along Taft Avenue at the corner of Malvar St., Malate at about 2: 57 a.m.

Investigators said Amrani failed to present any valid identification card and was allegedly drunk when accosted, prompting the officers to conduct a search on him and his car.

Police reports said several dried marijuana leaves as well as drug sniffing paraphernalia were found in the glove compartment of the car. It was not indicated in the report why the police opened the car’s glove compartment in the absence of a search warrant.

Meanwhile, a 16-year-old girl, allegedly suffering from epilepsy, was found dead yesterday morning floating in the waters off Tanza, Navotas.

Rochelle Planas of Gulayan, Concepcion, Malabon City was declared dead from drowning at the Navotas Lying-In Clinic where her body was taken.

Police records showed the victim’s body was found by residents shortly after midnight. Probers gathered that the family of the victim went swimming in Polo, Tanza, on Sunday morning. Police said relatives failed to notice that the girl had been apparently carried away by strong currents into deeper waters. It was only later than they found her missing.

Clemen Esplana, the victim’s aunt, said her niece is known to be afflicted with epilepsy. She opined that the victim could have had a seizure while swimming resulting in her drowning. When the family noticed her missing they immediately packed up to go home and reported the incident to the local police.

Probers said they failed to find any signs of external injuries. – Mike Frialde and Jerry Botial