Foreigner nabbed in Cebu on drug charge

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A foreign tourist was arrested on Saturday after he was caught allegedly with a pack of cocaine in a motel in Lapu-Lapu City, police said. He had openly asked motel staff where he could buy the narcotic.

Jungmin Park, 28, identified as a South Korean national, was detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Station pending the filing of a criminal complaint for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Park, 28, arrived in Lapu-Lapu City from Seoul, South Korea, on August 4 on a tourist visa.

A team of the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office went to the motel in Barangay (village) Pajo about 12:30 a.m. on Saturday after receiving a tip that a foreigner was seen using cocaine, said task force head Inspector Glenn Hife.

When the policemen arrived, Hife said they saw a Korean on the driveway of the motel.

He said they approached the Korean and introduced themselves as policemen but the foreigner ran away.

The policemen chased Park and subdued him. When they frisked him, a small sachet of cocaine was found in his possession.

Park was taken to the police station where he admitted that he was a cocaine user, Hipe said.

Park told policemen that he hired a motorcycle driver who brought him to Barangay Pasil in Cebu City where he bought a sachet of cocaine for P2,000.

Hipe said Park checked in at the motel on Friday but called the attention of staff when he asked around where he could buy cocaine.

Danica Hermogenes, INQUIRER.net