Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Lawyer fined, scolded; suspect's bail seized
THE Regional Trial Court (RTC) has imposed a fine of P1,000 against the lawyer of Carlos Sy (aka Carlou Sy), who is accused of being one of the owners of an illegal drugs factory in the city, after he failed to produce his client in court during scheduled hearings.
Sy is facing charges for violation of the Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Judge Renato A. Fuentes of the RTC Branch 9 told Sun.Star that he earlier gave Sy's lawyer Raul Bo 30 days to explain why his client failed to show up during scheduled hearings.
The court had already granted Sy's request not to appear during the first two hearings, but not for the third time because he needed to sign a pre-trial order.
"Bo was held in contempt of court but I reconsidered after he apologized and explained that he could not be held responsible if his client could not be located anymore. He even told me that Sy had not even paid his attorney's fees yet," Fuentes said.
Fuentes added that although he did not push through with the contempt proceedings against Bo, he scolded the lawyer in open court. Bo paid the fine immediately.
Fuentes said that part of the conditions stipulated when Sy was allowed to post bail was for him to be present during court hearings whenever he is needed.
"His repeated failure to show up for court hearings is an indication that he can't be located anymore," Fuentes held. Fuentes earlier ordered the arrest of Sy and the confiscation and execution of the order to confiscate his bail bond of P500,000 after he failed to show up for court hearings for the third time.
Sy was one of four people accused of manufacturing methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, and delivering equipment to produce this illegal drug in Dumoy District and Agdao, Davao City.
Police seized shabu manufacturing paraphernalia and 152 kilograms of the illegal drug during a raid last year.
Sy's co-accused in the illegal drugs charges are Allan Sy, Allan's wife Jed and Jed's brother Jessie Jong Pilapil. (RCB)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (August 23, 2005 issue)
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