Willy Yang, was convicted by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18 Judge Perfecto Laguio and sent to the gallows after giving more credence to the testimony of NBI-National Capital Region operatives who had arrested him in a follow-up operation after he evaded arrest in a buy-bust operation.
In his four-page decision, Laguio used the "principle of presumption of regularity of duty" on the part of the NBI operatives and the weakness of the accused’s "defense of alibi" in his decision.
The court also used the aggravating circumstance of committing the crime through an organized group in meting out the maximum penalty of death to Yang.
Based on court records, Yang, whose Chinese name is Yang Yinghi, was first met by NBI operatives Antonio Suarez, Antonio dela Cruz and Jeoffrey dela Merced and three others including poseur-buyer Rodrigo Mapoy in the late afternoon of March 6, 2000.
The NBI had set-up a buy-bust operation through an informant near a restaurant along Kalaw street, Manila. The accused, who came on board a car of a companion, drove Mapoy and the NBI informant to United Nations Avenue where the Chinese’s car carrying the shabu was parked.
Mapoy handed to the accused the boodle money and was led to the parked car where the 1.5 kilos of shabu estimated to be worth P3.5 million were shown to him.
But a commotion broke out in the parking lot, prompting the nervous Yang and his companion to scamper away, leaving the shabu, the car, and the NBI agents behind.
A search of the parked car, however, yielded Yang’s Alien Certificate of Registration as well as his address in Valenzuela.
A raid of the house at the said address proved futile as the accused had already moved out. But Yang’s former neighbors’ told the operatives where the Chinese had transferred some blocks away, leading to his arrest.
Meanwhile in Mandaluyong City, a septuagenarian had his drug addict son jailed minutes after he allegedly tried to set their house on fire.
Faustino Santos, 70, of 580 Nueve de Pebrero St., Barangay Addition Hills, showed no remorse as the police put his son, Valentino, 37, behind bars.
The young Santos, who was still "high" on drugs admitted his crime. He will be charged with attempted arson in the city prosecutor’s office today.
Superintendent Jose Gentiles, Mandaluyong City police chief said father and son engaged in a heated argument after the former confronted the latter about his drug habit at about 8:50 a.m.
At the height of their quarrel, the young Santos took out a bottle of gasoline and tried to lob it at their house occupied by at least 13 family members, Gentiles said.
However, alert neighbors grabbed the young Santos and dragged him away before he could inflict harm to anyone.
Neighbors told Gentiles that the father and son had been at odds since 1999 because of the younger Santos’ drug habit.
Gentiles said it was Faustino who called up the police and had his own son arrested and jailed. He yielded a bottle of gasoline and rugby. – Non Alquitran