2 drug  pushers get 12 years in jail

For less than a gram of shabu, the Pasig City regional trial court (RTC) meted yesterday 12 years’ imprisonment against two drug pushers who were arrested in Pateros four years ago.

Pasig RTC Branch 151 Judge Franchito Diamante also ordered Danilo Lacson and Vergel Millanes to pay the government P300,000 in damages.

Diamante said the prosecution was able to establish all  the elements of the offense and both the accused were caught in possession of the illegal drugs.

“At the outset, bare denials cannot prevail over the positive identification and assertion of the prosecution witnesses that they were able to confiscate from the herein accused plastic sachets containing shabu,” Diamante said.

Court records showed that prior to the arrest, the Pateros police received information from the PNP TXT 2920 service in Camp Crame regarding the rampant illegal gambling and illegal drug activities on P. Rosales street in Barangay Sta. Ana, Pateros last Feb. 5, 2003.

A police team dispatched to the area chanced upon the two respondents, along with several others, playing “cara y cruz,” a gambling game.

The police operatives announced the raid and arrested Lacson and Millanes while their companions escaped.

Policemen recovered a plastic sachet of what later turned out to be shabu from the two men.

Lacson said he was playing “tong-its” and not “cara y cruz” when he was arrested. He also claimed the sachet was planted by arresting policemen.

Diamante has issued a warrant of arrest for Millanes, who jumped bail.    – Non Alquitran