Monday, August 27, 2007 Man gets life term for selling drugs
FOR selling marijuana sticks to students of Lahug Night High School, a man was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Charve John Lagahit was also sentenced to separate term of 12 to 20 years for possession of marijuana cigarettes.
Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Meinrado Paredes also ordered Lagahit to pay a fine of P500,000.
Lagahit was arrested sometime in 2003 during a buy-bust where he sold four sticks of marijuana to a poseur buyer in front of the school gate.
Rejected
He used plain or general denial in his defense, which the court rejected.
The court said, “There is no reason for the police officer and the barangay tanods to file trumped up charges against him.
Buy-bust
“There is presumption that the police officer, in arresting the accused, was in the regular performance of his public function. There was no grudge or ill will between the accused, the police officer and the barangay tanod before the arrest of the accused,” the decision read.
The buy-bust was conducted after the principal of the school brought the problem to the attention of the Philippine National Police.
Maritess Patiño sought help after she noticed that gangs and drugs had become rampant in the school. (KNT)
