2 sentenced to death for peddling ecstasy

Two women were meted the death penalty yesterday by the Mandaluyong City regional trial court (RTC) for selling ecstasy to agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) three years ago.

Judge Amelia Dy of the Mandaluyong RTC Branch 213 sentenced Emmalyn de la Serna alias Inday, 30, and Reggie Medenceles, 31, to die by lethal injection after finding them guilty of pushing ecstasy tablets.

This was the first ever court decision on a case involving the peddling of ecstasy.

Court records shows that De la Serna and Medenceles were arrested by NBI agents after a buy-bust operation in Mandaluyong City last Aug. 28, 2002.

The duo yielded 200 pieces of ecstasy tablets. Ecstasy is a synthetic drug which contains hallucinogen and amphe-tamine.

Also known as a "love drug," ecstasy is popular among young users. — Non Alquitran>