6 Chinese get life for 364-kilo shabu

Six Chinese nationals, who were caught in possession of 364.057 kilos of shabu in Sariaya, Quezon almost four years ago, were meted life imprisonment yesterday.

In a 14-page decision, Judge Jaime Salazar of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 103 convicted Ng Yik Bun, Kwok Wai Cheng, Chang Chaun Shi, Chua Shilou Hwan, Kan Shun Min and Raymond Tan of violating Section 16 of Republic Act 6425, or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972.

Salazar also ordered the six foreigners to pay a fine of P5 million each.

Dante Jimenez, founding chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, however, said he was quite disappointed with the court decision.

"We think there is something wrong. Although we are happy it was a guilty (verdict) beyond reasonable doubt, this is a big case. It is supposed to be death sentence," he said.

Jimenez added: "How can drug lords learn when the penalty is not in accordance with the law?"

Court records showed that elements of Task Force Aduana, led by Capt. Danilo Ibon, intelligence and operations officer of the Army’s 4th Light Battalion based at Camp Nakar in Lucena City, arrested the convicts on the night of Aug. 24, 2000 in Barangay Bignay II, Sariaya town.

Tipped off about the shabu shipment, the task force proceeded to a resort there and found the six Chinese loading the contraband into a white L-300 van. A sedan with its lights on illuminated the place.

The shabu was packed in 25 heat-sealed and 147 self-sealing transparent plastic bags.