Drug raps OKd vs foreigners nabbed by Singson at his home

The Quezon City prosecutors’ office has approved the filing of drug charges against four foreigners who were caught allegedly smoking marijuana by Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson at his house two weeks ago.

Assistant City Prosecutor Irene Resurreccion found probable cause to charge British nationals James Gates, 22; Ross Barnaby McLeod, 18; Jack McLeod, 19; and Australian citizen Arthur Murray Nash, 19.

The foreigners were arrested on the morning of Jan. 13 by Singson at his house at Corinthian Gardens in Barangay Ugong Norte.

In his affidavit, the governor said he smelled marijuana upon arrival at the house that morning, went up to one of the rooms and found the respondents smoking.

He then frisked the “shocked” foreigners and found marijuana sticks.

The foreigners, however, disputed this and claimed that it was one of Singson’s bodyguards who did the frisking and that they only saw the governor at the staircase when they were about to leave.

They denied carrying any illegal drug or drug paraphernalia, and claimed that Nash only kept a packet of tobacco while Gates yielded a mere stick of cigarette.

The foreigners were reportedly guests of Singson’s son Christian at that time.

In July 2010, the governor’s other son, former Ilocos Sur. Rep. Ronald Singson, was found guilty of carrying 26 grams of cocaine and two tablets of Valium by a Hong Kong court.

Ronald Singson was released in January 2011. Julie Aurelio