Sino drug suspects walk

A Malabon Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge acquitted yesterday two Chinese nationals who were accused by the police of illegal possession of 4.5 kilos of shabu last year.

Judge Benjamin Aquino Jr. of the RTC Branch 72 ordered the immediate release of Jacky King, 23, and Eric Sy, 21, both of 57 Unit B, UE Tech Street, University Hills Subdivision, Barangay Potrero, from the Malabon City Jail.

The court said the prosecution failed to establish that the shabu belonged to King and Sy during a raid conducted by the Philippine National Police Narcotics Group (NarGroup) on May 31,2000.

In its ruling, the court upheld the defense of the Sy and King that the policemen planted the shabu with the intention of robbing them.

The policemen claimed they found the shabu inside King's house and car during a raid.

But in their testimonies, Sy said the policemen took P1.3 million and HK$ 2,000 as well as several pieces of jewelry from him during the raid while King said he was taken to Valenzuela City where the cops extorted P5 million from him. -- Nikko Dizon