3 Chinese nationals sentenced to death for peddling shabu

Three Chinese nationals caught peddling 548.5 grams of shabu to a police officer posing as a buyer four years ago in Pasig City were meted the death penalty yesterday by the city’s regional trial court (RTC).

Judge Leoncio Janolo Jr., of Pasig RTC Branch 264, found Ronald Yao, Wen Jin Cai and Chua Lin Yen guilty of drug pushing.

Janolo sentenced the three men in absentia after the judge allowed them to post P200,000 bail in 2003.

In an 18-page decision, the judge ruled that the testimony of a police team headed by Senior Superintendent Federico Laciste Jr. proved the guilt of the three accused.

"Positive identification was categorical and consistent and without any ill motive on the part of the eyewitnesses testifying on the matter," said Janolo, adding that Yao was found positive of ultra-violet rays confirming he received payment for the delivered drugs.

The three suspects also jumped bail, which Janolo said was a clear sign of guilt.

"Their plight indicated their guilt to the crime committed. Flight is, indeed, an implied admission of guilt and accused escape cannot betray guilt and desire to evade responsibility therefore," Janolo stated in his decision.

Records showed that Laciste’s team conducted several test buys from Yao’s group before a sting operation was set up at the Nipa Hut restaurant in Barangay Orambo, Pasig City on Nov. 6, 2001.

Yao handed over the shabu in two plastic sachets to the officer posing as a buyer while his two companions stood watch near a parked van.

After receiving the P500,000 marked money, Yao and his companions were arrested.

The arrest led to a raid on a shabu laboratory at Capitol Subdivision in Pasig City, where shabu and precursors were recovered.

Janolo granted the trio bail after the police raiders failed to attend a hearing on the motion for such filed by the suspect’s lawyers.

The arresting officers assailed the decision, claiming the court summons failed to reach them or was deliberately sent somewhere else.

Five other Chinese nationals caught during the shabu lab raid were earlier sentenced by Janolo to life imprisonment.

The judge has issued a warrant of arrest against the three Chinese nationals.

Police, however, are less than optimistic that the accused would actually serve their sentence.

"Paano na naming hahanapin ang mga ito. Siguradong nagtago na sila o dili kaya’y umuwi na sa kanilang bansa," one disgruntled policeman said.