Man Given Life Sentence for 32.44 Grams of Marijuana

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Philippines: Another Negrense Was Sentenced to Life
(01 Jul 2006) Visayan Daily Star Philippines
Another Negrense was sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday for the sale of drugs.

Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles found Roberto Reyes Miraflores, alias Tongtong, 45, of Hinigaran town guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and sentenced him to life imprisonment and to pay a P1 million fine.

He also ordered the immediate remittance of Miraflores to the national penitentiary.

The "accused deserves utmost condemnation for the havoc and misery that he has caused to society, especially among the youth, many of whom have lost their future because of the evil influence of drugs, and therefore should be severely punished," Arles said.

Miraflores was accused of selling 200 marijuana cigarettes weighing 32.44 grams without a permit in Sitio Bacutod, Barangay Manlad, Ilog on Jan. 17, 2004 after he was arrested in a Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency buy bust operation

The judge said the defense of denial by Miraflores and the claim that he was set up could not be given any credence.

As shown by the evidence, the accused was arrested selling drugs in flagrante delicto, the judge said,

The PDEA team composed of PO2 Ramil Dellomes, Inspector Joemarie Occeno, SP01 Arnold Yunsay and P02 Norman Guillergan and some civilian assets on Jan 17, 2004 enforced a search warrant issued by Arles on the house of Dennis Selga where he voluntarily turned over 117 marijuana cigarets.

Selga informed the PDEA men that Miraflores of Hinigaran was about to deliver another batch of marijuana cigarets for the highlight of the celebration of the Barangay Manalad fiesta and was willing to cooperate with them for possible entrapment, the court was told.

Later that day Miraflores arrived and although he was suspicious of the presence of Delommes, whom Selga told him was a customer from Cauayan, he gave the 200 marijuana cigarets to Selga and that led to his arrest.

On Thursday, a woman from Bacolod City was also meted life imprisonment for the illegal sale and possession of shabu by Judge Edgar Garvilles.

Sentenced was Gemma Dacumos of Purok Sigay, Barangay 2, Bacolod City, Trial Prosecutor Abraham Bayona said.

Dacumos was sentenced to life imprisonment for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, for the sale of .02 gram shabu, and to 14 additional years for possession of .17 gram also of shabu.