2 pushers get life terms

The case ran for two years and ended up with the conviction of the two accused drug pushers who the Regional Trial Court has sentenced each to life imprisonment and P500,000 fine.

RTC judge Silvestre Maamo Jr. ruled that Dexter Gulfan and Joselito Baring guilty beyond reasonable doubt of selling a pack of shabu to a poseur buyer along B. Rodriguez Street on July 10, 2003.

Judge Maamo declared that the testimonies of the Fuente station policemen were straight forward and more credible than the defense of Gulfan and Baring, whose testimonies were tarnished with conflicting statements.

"The court has no reason to doubt the veracity of the testimonies of the policemen who arrested the accused. Unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the prosecution witnesses were inspired by any improper motive in testifying against the accused, their testimonies deserved full faith and credit," Maamo said.

The defense said that no one, other than the policemen, were present when they were arrested but this contradicted their own witnesses who testified that they were about 15 meters away from the scene of the arrest.

These conflicting statements of the defense put doubt the honesty and candor of its witnesses, the judge said in his decision. - Rene U. Borromeo