Regional Trial Court Branch 58 judge Gabriel Ingles yesterday sentenced a resident of Sikatuna St., Cebu City to 15 years in jail for possession of two small packs of shabu last year.
Ingles also ordered 34-year-old Richard Rafols to pay the government P300,000 for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Rafols was arrested by policemen conducting a checkpoint along Imus Ave. on the morning of February 11, 2007.
PO1s Antonio Asoy Jr. and Roque Dequit, who were among those who conducted the checkpoint operations, testified in court that they stopped a Talamban-bound jeepney for inspection and when Rafols disembarked from the jeepney he suddenly hit PO1 Rulymar Laquinon with his pouch and ran.
Asoy and Dequit quickly chased Rafols who were later arrested and found with a knife and two plastic packs of shabu.
But Rafols claimed that there were nothing discovered on him after his search but he was still brought to the police station and accused of having two packs of shabu.
Rafols said he was only framed by the policemen, but he failed to prove this claim.
“This court is morally convinced that the police officers had at least probable cause to believe that herein accused was committing a crime, not to mention the fact that he threw a pouch at PO1 Laguinon, which justifies his warrantless arrest,” Ingles ruled. – Rene U. Borromeo/BRP