Singson's trial adjourned to Dec. 31

HONG KONG – Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson will spend Christmas here after a district court yesterday adjourned the hearing of the drug trafficking case filed against the Filipino congressman.

Singson’s counsel John Reading asked the court for more time to obtain statistical data on the persons arrested at the airport for drug-related offenses from the Department of Justice. In three earlier “mentions” of Singson’s case in court, Reading cited the lawmaker’s medical condition, but did not elaborate.

Prosecutor Virginia Lau objected to the request for an adjournment but Wan Chai District Court Judge Stanley Chan adjourned the case to Dec. 31.

“The case has dragged on for too long. We would like to build the case as soon as possible,” Lau told the court.

Singson was apprehended last July 11 at the customs arrival hall of the Hong Kong International Airport for allegedly bringing in 26.1 grams of cocaine and two tablets of diazepam, a generic form of Valium. But after removing the drugs from the bottle which reportedly weighed 12 grams, and subjecting the narcotics to purity testing, the drugs were found to be 6.6 grams.

The Tsuen Wan Court allowed Singson to post a HK$2-million (P11.3 million) bail last Aug. 19 on the condition that he would stay in Hong Kong for court appearances.

Singson posted HK$1 million in bail, while two of his friends here each shelled out HK$500,000 in surety bond which will be forfeited if the lawmaker violates the conditions of his bail.

Magistrate Ernest Lin also ordered Singson to surrender his travel documents and report to the North Point Police Station between 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

After the hearing, Singson expressed frustration that he would have to spend Christmas in Hong Kong, without his family.

“If there is anyone who wants this case resolved, of course it is I because I have been here for a long time. But unfortunately, as much as we want to expedite the case, it can’t be done at the expense of justice,” he told reporters.

Singson has been staying in Hong Kong since he was apprehended last July 11.