PACKS OF SHABU DESTROYED
PACKS of shabu worth more than P1 million used as evidence in drug cases were flushed down the toilet yesterday.
“It has been the practice of the court to destroy illegal drugs after the termination of the cases,” Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Macaundas Hadjirasul of Branch 8 said.
The shabu was first poured into a pail filled with water then flushed down a toilet in the judge’s comfort room.
The activity was witnessed by lawyer Gladys Barriga of the Public Attorney’s Office, Assistant City Prosecutor Mario Ley Gidayawan, members of the Crime Laboratory, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the media.
Aside from the shabu, the court also disposed 1.70 grams of marijuana.
Before the items were destroyed, an inventory was made by the agency.
The disposed items were used as evidence in 71 drug cases from 2010 to 2012.
Of the 71 cases, two ended in convictions while the rest were acquittals.
Hadjirasul said the acquittals were caused by the failure of law enforcers to comply with Section 21 of Republic Act 9165 or the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.”
The section specifies how the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) “shall take charge and have custody” of dangerous drugs./REPORTER ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL
DEAD man in danao
A 39-YEAR-OLD man with a bullet wound in the head was found dead in what is suspected to be a case of suicide in barangay Sta. Rosa, Danao City, northern Cebu.
Joby Bacalso was found by his nine-year-old son bathed her own blood Wednesday afternoon.
The son had just arrived home from school when he found his blooded father.
A .38 caliber revolver with an empty shell in its chamber was found near Bacalso’s body, police said.
Bacalso’s wife, Jobilesa, told police that she invited her husband to go with her in attending a fiesta celebration in the nearby barangay but the man opted to stay at home.
Jobilesa said she noticed that her husband had been acting strangely in the past few days.
The incident will be investigated further, PO2 Roselo Campo of Danao police said./ Correspondent Joy Cherry S. Quito