5 caught with P600-M shabu in Leyte get life term

TACLOBAN CITY –– A regional trial court judge has convicted five persons caught in possession of P600 million worth of shabu in Barangay Buñagan, Gandara town, Leyte province.

Judge Esteban de la Peña of the Regional Trial Court Branch 41 sentenced to life imprisonment Cesar Uy, 49; Steven Perez, 37; Elbert Abella, 57; Leonard de los Reyes, 33; and Jeralou Laborte, 34.

In his December 11 decision, De la Peña directed the jail warden of the Samar Provincial Jail, based in Catbalogan City, also in Samar, to commit all the accused, except Laborte, to the Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog in Leyte town.

Laborte will be detained at the Corrections Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City.

The court directed the Philippine National Police to dispose of or auction the two sports utility vehicles (SUVs) of the accused.

The proceeds will be given to the Dangerous Drugs Board.

The accused, including a 14-year old boy who is now under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, were arrested on board two SUVs in a police checkpoint along Maharlika Highway in Buñagan on October 17.

In an earlier interview, Laborte denied that they knew each other and that they were not aware that they were transporting shabu.

Edited by LZB