Anak ng DOJ Secretary laya nang iabswelto sa P1.3-M drug possession case
MANILA, Philippines (Update 3, 2:06 p.m.) — Tuluyan nang nakalaya sa pagkakapiit, Biyernes, si Juanito Jose Remulla III — anak ni Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla — matapos iabswelto ng Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 197 kaugnay ng nakuhang 893.9 gramo ng marijuana sa kanya noong 2022.
"[W]e are pleased with the decision of Honorable Ricardo Moldez II finding our client Joey Remulla innocent of the charge of illegal possesion of dangerous drugs," wika ni Pearlito Campanilla, abogado ni Remulla, sa isang pahayag.
"[I]t is very clear from the prosecution’s evidence that Joey Remulla is not the importer of these dangerous drug."
JUST IN | Nakalaya na si Juanito Jose Remulla III matapos maabsuwelto ng Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 197 sa kasong possession of illegal drugs ngayong araw, January 6. #News5 pic.twitter.com/AOAsyVemYW
— News5 (@News5PH) January 6, 2023
Dagdag pa ng abogado, lumabas sa affidavit of arrest at testimonya ng PDEA agent ang pag-amin ni Remulla na hindi niya inaasahan ang pagdating ng naturang parcel sa kanyang bahay.
Hindi rin daw niya kilala ang shipper na si Benjamin Hopman nang tanungin.
Oktubre nang maaresto si Juanito sa isang drug bust matapos maharang ang isang package mula California na naglalaman ng P1.3 milyong halaga ng "kush."
Kung napatawan ng parusang "guilty,” haharap sana si Juanito sa hanggang "habambuhay na pagkakakulong" at multang aabot ng P10 milyon, sa ilalim ng Republic Act 9165 o Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
Humaharap pa siya sa hiwalay na reklamo ng importation of illegal drugs sa piskalya ng Pasay.
Una nang sinabi ni DOJ Secretary Boying na hindi siya makikialam sa kaso ng kanyang anak. Aniya, bagama't mahal niya ang supling ay dapat lang daw niyang harapin ang mga reklamo.
Bakit siya walang sala, sabi ng korte
Ayon sa hatol na ibinaba ni Acting Presiding Judge Ricardo Modez III, sinabing kinakailangan munang mapatunayan ang sumusunod para sa matagumpay na prosekusyon ng kasong illegal possession of dangerous drugs:
- nasa pag-iingat ng akusado ang iligal na droga
- hindi pinahihintulutan ng batas ang kanyang paghawak dito
- malaya at alam ng akusadong hawak niya ang droga
"In other words, the prosecution must prove that the accused had the intent to possess (animus possidendi) the subject dangerous drugs in cases involving a violation of Section 11, of RA 9165," sabi pa ng ruling.
"It must be shown that the person in whose possession the drug specimen was found knew that he/she was possessing illegal drugs."
Ayon sa korte:
- walang klarong ebidensyang malaya at alam ni Juanito na iligal na droga pala ang nakumpiska sa kanya
- hindi napatunayan "beyond doubt" ang pagkikilanlan ng droga
- hindi nangingibabaw ang presumption of regularity ng PDEA operatives sa pagpapalagay na inosente si Juanito
Bagama't naipakitang naibigay daw ang package sa akusado, hindi raw nakapagbigay ang prosekusyon ng ebidensyang alam ni Remulla na marijuana ang laman nito.
"Nonetheless, regardless of the stage of controlled delivery, the law enforcers are still strictly required to ensure that the integrity and the evidentiary value of the detected or seized items are preserved and the proper chain of custody is observed," sabi pa ng korte.
"This Court has serious reservations on the integrity and evidentiary value of the dangerous drugs allegedly seized."
Lumalabas din daw sa record na hindi inilagay sa pag-iingat ng PDEA ang parcel matapos nitong mabuksan noong ika-4 ng Oktubre, 2022.
Nanatili ito kay customs examiner Gerardo Pascual, na tumestigong inilagay niya ito sa "safety cage" matapos itong buksan at kunan ng samples.
"The prosecution failed to establish that during the 'detection stage' or before the parcel allegedly containing the illegal drugs were turned-over to the PDEA that precautions were taken to ensure that there had been no change in the condition of the parcel and its contents and that there was no opportunity for someone not in the chain to have possession of the same during the said period," dagdag pa ng korte.
"Because of these, this Court is unable to discount the possibility of evidence tampering on that occasion... When a court cannot be assured that the drugs presented as evidence are exactly what the prosecution purports them to be, a conviction will not be forthcoming."
'Mabilis na pagdinig sana ibigay sa lahat'
Ayon kay Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) secretary general Renato Reyes Jr., mahirap pa ngayong magkomento kung totoong guilty o inosente si Juanito.
Sa kabila nito, klaro raw na nabigyan ng mabilis na paglilitis si Juanito at nabigyan ng pagkakataong patunayan ang kanyang pagkainosente. Aniya, hindi raw kasi ito naibibigay sa maraming biktima ng extrajudicial killings ng madugong "war on drugs" at daan-daang political prisoners.
"The rights accorded to Juanito Jose Remulla III, son of the Justice Secretary, are very basic and should have been accorded to all. He got a speedy trial, and his drug case resolved within 75 days," paliwanag ni Reyes.
"Many others, especially the poor, are not so fortunate. And that there is what is wrong with our justice system. The contrast between justice for the rich and poor could not have been more pronounced than in this case." — may mga ulat mula sa News5
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