5 drug violators freed from jail

Saturday, January 21, 2012

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Five inmates accused of drug trafficking were released from the North Cotabato Provincial Rehabilitation Center here after a court found technical glitches for their arrest years ago.

Based on the decision penned by Judge Laureano Alzate of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 22 based in Kabacan town, the arresting officers failed to follow the "chain of custody rule" when they apprehended the inmates in at least four separate buy-bust operations since 2001.

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Alzate, in his decision, said the police violated Section 5, Rule 113 of the Rule of Criminal Procedure.

The officers failed to show warrants for the arrest of the inmates, the court said.

Released from prison were Edgar Grafil de Pena; Teng Baliwan Usman; Edwin Corpuz; Usop Blah Sangcupan; and Zaldy Muhammad Enta.

Of the freed inmates, de Pena was the longest to be detained. He was arrested in a buy-bust raid in M'lang town in September 2001.

Usman and Corpuz were released after nine years; Sangcupan and Enta after seven years.

The release of five inmates accused of drug trafficking was not the first when Judge Alzate was assigned at the RTC Branch 22.

In December 2011, Judge Alzate has ordered the release of two inmates accused of violation of Republic Act 9165 identified as Dario Mangkong and Ronie Piang.

Piang was apprehended in M’lang sometime 2002; while Mangkong was arrested in Kabacan town seven years ago.