Pubdate: Tue, 12 Aug 2003 Source: Sunstar Davao (Philippines) Copyright: 2003 Sunstar Contact: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1991 Note: also listed for feedback Author: Raquel C. Bagnol WOMAN GETS LIFE FOR SHABU PUSHING FOR the first time in Davao City since the implementation of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, a woman was meted life imprisonment and a penalty of P5 million for selling a sachet of shabu to a policeman last year. Regional Trial Court Branch 9 Judge Adoracion Avisado convicted 22-year-old Aminah Bucay alias Aminsarah B. Obinay of 23-C Mini-forest, Boulevard, Davao City in a decision issued Friday. Prosecution evidence showed that around 3:25 p.m. on December 16, 2002, elements of the Heinous Crimes Investigation Section (HCIS) of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) led by Senior Inspector Fulgencio Pavo enforced a search warrant issued by RTC Executive Judge Virginia Europa against Bucay. PO1 Enrique Ayao, tasked as the poseur-buyer, went with an HCIS civilian agent to the house of one Alma Angani, who happened to be on a vacation that time. Instead, a woman later identified as Bucay was in Angani's house. Ayao pretended to buy P300 worth of shabu. Bucay went inside a room and came out later with a sachet of shabu weighing .0939 grams. When Bucay was about to hand him the sachet of shabu, Ayao immediately identified himself and arrested Bucay. His back up entered and they were able to confiscate a total of 16 sachets of shabu, shabu paraphernalia and a Nokia 3210 cellular phone. For the defense, Bucay and a certain Salamudin testified in court claiming they had been inside Angani's house since 2 p.m. that day to charge her cellphone because the house they were living in does not have power outlets. She claimed she was surprised when the police arrived and arrested them for no apparent reason. Bucay claimed they were both handcuffed and after their search, the police placed the sachet of shabu on top of the table. Bucay and Salamudin claimed that was the first time they have seen shabu. After a careful investigation, the court was convinced that the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were categorical, straightforward and credible, while Bucay and Salamudin's testimonies depicted lies. No urine test was conducted on Bucay by the PNP crime laboratory due to the absence of test kits at that time, therefore the court found no qualifying aggravating circumstances to the charges. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart