Court clears couple of drug raps

Regional Trial Court judge Raphael Yrastorza has dismissed the charges filed by the National Bureau of Investigation against two people accused of being drug pushers.

Sally Bohol and Rodrigo Alinzug were arrested inside a lodge at the North Reclamation Area on February 17, 2001 after they allegedly sold shabu to NBI agents.

NBI agents Teodoro Saavedra and Vicente Minguez said they arrested Bohol and Alinzug during a buy-bust operation after they sold 10.1 grams of shabu to them.

But Yrastorza gave more credence to the testimonies of Bohol who claimed that Saavedra arrested her and her boyfriend after she refused to lend him money.

According to Yrastorza, between the versions of the prosecution witnesses and the accused, he is inclined to give credence to the latter because it was highly "improbable and incredulous" for the accused to sell shabu to an agent of the law, considering that both of them know each other.

The court also said it believes that both were consummating their relationship when the NBI agents entered the room.

Yrastorza also gave more weight to the contention of the defense that the motive behind the alleged buy-bust operation was really to extort money from the accused. - Rene U. Borromeo/BRP