HK court resets drug trial of Singson

MANILA, Philippines - A Hong Kong court hearing on the drug case against Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson has been rescheduled to November, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

DFA Undersecretary Esteban Conejos Jr. said the court agreed that the hearing scheduled this week be reset upon the application of Singson. The prosecutors did not object to Singson’s application to reset the hearing.

“The court upon the application of Congressman Singson and without objection from the prosecutors reset the hearing to next month. He is still out on bail under the same terms and condition to the original bail,” Conejos said in a chance interview following a briefing by the DFA for Vice President and presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers Jejomar Binay on the situation of OFWs.

The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong is confident that the case of Singson will not be affected by the hostage-taking incident in Manila in August that resulted in the death of eight Hong Kong tourists.

Consul General Claro Cristobal said the Hong Kong justice system is independent from other branches of government.

A Hong Kong judge allowed Singson to be temporarily released from jail after the congressman posted a HK$1-million (P5.8 million) bail pending his trial on drug charges in the Chinese special territory.

Singson, son of Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson, has been in detention since July 11 after he was arrested at the Hong Kong International Airport for carrying 26.1 grams of cocaine and two tablets of Valium, a powerful sedative banned in the territory.