3 meted life terms for shabu

A couple and a woman were meted life imprisonment yesterday by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) for selling at least 213.35 grams of high-grade shabu to police undercover agents in Taguig five years ago.

Judge Alex Quiroz, of the RTC branch 156, ordered the convicts Ramil Sangebang and his wife, Aida, and Aiza Karim to pay a fine of P2 million.

In his 10-page decision, Quiroz also ordered that the confiscated drugs be transferred to the custody of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) for proper disposition.

Court records shows that a confidential agent reported to Nolasco Cortez, team leader of the North Metro Narcotics District Office stationed in Kamuning, Quezon City, that he was able to arrange a drug deal from the Sangebang couple on Jan. 30, 1998.

The informant claimed he ordered some 200 grams of shabu in exchange for P250,000.

Cortez immediately organized a team and proceeded to the Chowking foodchain in FTI Taguig at around 4 p.m. Minutes later, the suspects, on board a tricycle, arrived at the fastfood’s parking area.

Police said Karim handed over a clutch bag containing four heat-sealed plastic bags wrapped in a newspaper. After inspecting the items, the poseur-buyer handed over the "boodle" money to the suspects.

The trio were counting the money when the police raiders announced the arrest.

The crime laboratory of the Philippine National Police (PNP) certified later that the seized drugs were "high-grade" shabu.

In their defense, the trio claimed the evidence were "planted," The Sangebang couple also denied knowing Karim.

Karim said she went to the fastfood to buy chicken and was surprised when she was arrested when she was emerging from the front door. The couple said they were also eating inside the establishment and were about to go home when two mobile cars blocked their path.

However, in convicting the three, Quiroz noted,"Clearly the provision covers attempt and conspiracy, both of which were alleged in the information and negates any surprise that could have adversely affected the accused’s defense."

He pointed out that the prosecution evidence had "convincingly established that the three accused conspired to sell the shabu, without authority of law."