4 drug traffickers sent to jail

MANILA, Philippines - Anti-illegal drugs operations by the Makati Anti-Drug Abuse Council (MADAC) have led to the recent convictions of four drug traffickers, including one sentenced to 15 years in prison.

In a report to Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay,  Supt. Jaime Santos, MADAC operations chief, said Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 135 Judge Josephine Advento-Vito Cruz sentenced Jose Presnede last March 31 to life imprisonment and to pay a fine of P500,000 for violating  Republic Act 9165 or the “Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002.”

Presnede was arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by a joint team of MADAC and the Makati Police on March 12, 2012 in Barangay Tejeros. Presnede was caught selling 0.02 grams of shabu to an undercover MADAC agent while another 0.03 gram was found in his possession.

Meanwhile, the three other convicted – a man and two women – were all sentenced to a minimum of 12 years and one day to a maximum of 14 years and eight months for drug possession.

Santos identified those convicted as Gary Garces, Arlene Cumpa, and Mary Grace Manuel.

Cumpa and Manuel were nabbed by guards at the Makati City Jail as they tried to smuggle shabu and dried marijuana leaves inside the jail.