Man convicted, woman acquited of drug charges
The Regional Trial Court yesterday sentenced a drug user to 14 years imprisonment, but acquitted a female suspected drug pusher because the prosecution failed to establish her guilt beyond reasonable doubt, particularly when her arresting officer failed to identify her during the trial of the case in court.
Adonis Canete, of legal age, was arrested by
Canete tried to convince the court that the incriminating evidence was just fabricated by his arresting officers, but RTC judge Soliver Peras rejected his alibi particularly because he failed to substantiate his argument.
The court observed that Canete’s mother was present when he was arrested by the policemen, but the accused did not say that his mother had a complain about his arrest.
“The mere fact that the accused failed to present his mother showed that the latter will not corroborate his claim if she will be presented,” the court said.
Aside from imprisonment, the court also directed Canete to pay P300,000 for violating the Dangerous Drugs Law.
Meanwhile, RTC judge Gabriel Ingles acquitted Joan Sobrevilla Bacus who was arrested last July 29, 2006 because the prosecution failed to prove her guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Ingles noted that in one of the trials of the case, arresting officer P01 Christopher Torregosa failed to identify the accused when he was asked to pinpoint the accused from among the detainees inside the courtroom.
It was also established that Torregosa was not the one who reportedly negotiated with Bacus for the sale of a pack of shabu, but it was a police asset who was not presented before the court.
According to the court it is only the police asset who has personal knowledge about the offer to purchase, the promise of payment and that person should have been presented before the court. – Rene U. Borromeo/QSB
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