Sunday, July 13, 2008
Man jailed for life, fined P700T for selling P27T of shabu
A MAN was meted a life sentence and fined P700,000 for selling shabu worth P27,000.
Mardan Ameril was caught red-handed in a buy-bust conducted on May 25, 2005. A team of police officers led by PO3 Cesar Pandong arrested him outside his home at 1 a.m.
While Ameril’s wife, daughter and niece were watching television in their living room, a poseur-buyer bought three packs of shabu from him. Each pack cost P9,000 and the drugs amounted to 19.23 grams in all.
Regional Trial Court Judge Meinrado Paredes handed down the decision yesterday, finding no reason to doubt Ameril’s guilt.
This, despite the alibi presented by the defendant’s witnesses, who were Ameril’s wife, daughter and niece.
Testimony
The three testified that Ameril never left the house on the night of his arrest.
They said the policemen merely knocked on the door and talked with Ameril in the kitchen.
Aquillah Ameril, the niece, added that one of the police officers allegedly searched for a black attaché case in a cabinet inside the house and took it.
Ameril’s wife Aida also said that four policemen at the police station asked for P250,000 in exchange for Ameril’s liberty.
Paredes noted, however, that an alibi of “frame up” is common in drug cases.
“Unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the members of the buy-bust team were inspired by any improper motive or were not performing their duties, their testimony of the operation deserves full faith and credit,” read the ruling.
No hostility
In his six-page decision, Paredes also pointed out that, based on testimonies from both sides, there was no hostility between the policemen and Ameril.
He noted that one of the policemen even gave his cellular phone number to Ameril’s daughter, and Ameril did not seem to mind.
With the given evidence and testimonies, Paredes found Ameril guilty of violating Section 5 of Republic Act (RA) 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Meanwhile, the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group 7 seized 473.48 grams of marijuana from alleged drug peddler Diosdado Pacquiao last July 7 in Balamban, Cebu.
PO3 Emilio Relasan submitted an affidavit saying that about 3:15 p.m. on that day, he and an informant went to Pacquiao’s house posing as marijuana buyers. Pacquiao reportedly sold him 25 hand-rolled marijuana sticks, weighing 5.16 grams.
Relasan then scratched his buttocks, a pre-arranged signal for the other police officers to enter the scene and arrest Pacquiao. (KAB)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 13, 2008 issue)
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