6 get life over 800 kilos of shabu

MANILA, Philippines — A Pasig court on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment three Chinese and three Filipinos involved in the manufacture and transportation of nearly 800 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu in San Juan City in 2016.

The Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 264 meted three life terms each on Chen Wen De, Wu Li Yong and Shi Gui Xiong. The court also ordered them to pay a fine of P30 million each.

Their Filipino cohorts namely Sali Arafat, Basher Jamal and Abdullah Jahmal were sentenced to one life term and a fine of P10 million each.

In a 27-page decision, Pasig RTC Branch 264 Judge Genie Gapas-Agbada found Chen, Wu and Shi guilty of manufacturing, transportation and possession of narcotics, violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

The three Filipinos, meanwhile, were found guilty of transporting dangerous drugs.

The case stemmed from three operations of the National Bureau of Investigation in three areas in San Juan on Dec. 23, 2016, where 793.238 kilos of shabu were confiscated.

P1-M drugs seized

In Manila, more than P1.1 million worth of shabu was confiscated from five persons in a drug sting in San Andres Bukid before dawn yesterday.

Marquel Cunanan, Noriel Brun, Rachelle Abiva, Michael Ramos and Francisco Prudente III were arrested after selling 100 grams of shabu for P200,000 to a police officer who posed as a buyer.

Police confiscated a total of 170 grams of shabu with a street value of P1.156 million from the suspects.

In Quezon City, alleged drug pusher Cesar Arive was killed in an alleged shootout with police officers during a drug sting in Barangay Gulod at past midnight yesterday.

Probers recovered 100 grams of marijuana, with a street value of P12,000; two grams of shabu worth P13,600; a .38 caliber revolver and P390 from the suspect.

Arive was in the barangay’s drug watchlist and allegedly known as a robber and snatcher in Novaliches, police said.

Twenty-two other persons were arrested for drug-related offenses in Quezon City since Friday. – With Marc Jayson Cayabyab