Woman gets life for drug import

MANILA, Philippines — A Pasay court has sentenced a woman to life in prison for importing more than 1.4 kilos of the party drug Ecstasy, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported yesterday.

In a decision dated May 14, the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 298 found Charito Casamello, also known as Chat or Chari, guilty of violating Section 4, Article II of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The court sentenced Casamello to life in prison without eligibility for parole.

She was fined P1 million.

The case stemmed from an operation on June 27, 2023 conducted by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group at the Central Mail Exchange Center along Domestic Road in Pasay City.

Authorities intercepted a parcel, which contained 1,462.18 grams of Ecstasy.

The seizure led to the filing of charges against Casamello for importing the prohibited substance.

PDEA chief Isagani Nerez said the agency remains committed to preventing the entry of illegal drugs through ports, postal facilities and courier services.

The PDEA said it continues to coordinate with the judiciary and other law enforcement agencies to prosecute drug trafficking cases and curb the entry of illegal drugs into the country.