'Swindler' in jail for keeping marijuana

THE Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Dumaguete City convicted an alleged swindler to a minimum of 12 years and one day to a maximum of 14 years in prison for keeping two sticks of marijuana more than two years ago.

The court also ordered Jefferson Cruz to pay a fine of P400,000.

RTC Branch 30 Judge Rafael Cresencio Tan Jr. found Cruz guilty beyond reasonable doubt for the crime of illegal possession of prohibited drugs.

Court records showed that a certain Desirita Dales of Candau-ay, Dumaguete City, lodged her complaint to the local Police after she was convinced by Cruz’s agent to join the “labahan’ challenge but she needs to sell worth P2,300 to P2,500 to qualify.

When a person who claimed to be a supervisor contacted her, the police immediately prepared for an entrapment operation against the leader of the syndicate.

Dales, who was assisted by police personnel, prepared marked money and executed the entrapment operation at Mang Inasal Restaurant in Robinsons Place-Dumaguete.

After Dales handed over the marked money to the Tagalog-speaking suspect, the police officers immediately arrested him. The suspect turned out to be Cruz.

In a body search, the arresting police officers found two sticks of hand-rolled dried marijuana leaves inside Cruz’s black leather wallet, together with the marked money used in the entrapment operation for swindling.

Cruz, who is from Malabon City, Metro Manila, testified in court and denied the allegation against him, saying he and a certain Michael Santos just arrived in Dumaguete on December 24, 2009, a day before he was arrested. (VLC)