Pubdate: Wed, 27 Jul 2005
Source: Visayan Daily Star (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Visayan Daily Star
Contact:  http://www.visayandailystar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1688
Author: Cedelf Tupas
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

TEENER SENTENCED FOR DRUGS

The Regional Trial Court yesterday meted a maximum 14-year sentence to
a 19-year-old boy from Murcia for violating the Comprehensive Drugs
Act of 2002.

Judge Edgar Garvilles also found Gilbert Pagado guilty beyond
reasonable doubt and ordered him to pay a fine of P300,000 for
violating the law.

Court records show that Pagado was caught possessing five sticks of
marijuana cigarettes, all weighing .65 grams, in April 16, 2004 when
he visited Cyril Somodovilla and Joemarie Cetera, both inmates at the
Murcia Police Station jail.

Pagado was nabbed during a routine security check, when he asked
officer-in-charge jail warden, SPO1 Ronestor Flores, to allow him to
deliver a pack of cigarettes to Somodovilla and Cetera, the decision
said.

Pagado complied with Flores' request to open a pack of cigarettes but
two rolled marijuana sticks fell from the pack, prompting the police
officer to arrest him. Three more marijuana sticks were later found in
the pack by Flores.

Pagado had sought a "not guilty" verdict when he was arraigned in
Sept. 21, 2004, the decision said.

"Against credible positive testimonies of the prosecution witness,
Pagado's lame defense of pure denial cannot stand. Like alibi, denial
has invariably been viewed by courts with disfavor for it can easily
be concocted and is a common and standard defense ploy in most cases
involving the violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act," Garvilles said.

In the face of the police officers' positive declaration, Pagado's
denial is self-serving and has little weight in law, he added.
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