‘A triumph of justice over evil’

The Philippine National Police (PNP) described yesterday the conviction of 65 suspects in the Pasig City shabu flea market raid as a “triumph of justice over evil.”

PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. said the meting of life imprisonment to Rosalino Babao and Ramil Galicia, and various prison terms to 63 others, should serve as a warning to those who continue involving themselves in the illegal drugs business.

“The law would catch up with these people who are still involved in illegal drugs. The conviction only shows that crime does not pay,” said Razon, as he congratulated personnel of the PNP’s Anti-Illegal Drugs and Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF) for steadfastly appearing in court to secure the conviction of the suspects.

He also hailed Judge Abraham Borreta, of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 154 for his decision, noting that it would encourage the police to go after illegal drugs syndicates.

Some members of the big-time drug syndicates managed to remain scot-free because they allegedly “bought” their freedom and Borreta’s decision is expected to change this perception, a police official said.

Senior Superintendent Jojo Acierto, AIDSOTF’s executive officer, said he and his men are happy over Borreta’s decision.

“This is only our initial victory. I commend the court because its decision rewarded the long time and hard- work we endured in dismantling the shabu tiangge,” said Acierto, the ground commander of the more than 200 policemen who conducted the raid. He noted that Borreta’s decision is the first in the history of AIDSOTF involving a “one-stop” shop drug den.

Acierto said he and his men, including government witnesses Samuel Palao and Lyra Pace, will now focus on securing a conviction against Amin Imam Boratong and his second wife, Sheryl Molera, who are facing maintenance of a drug den charges, also in the chamber of Borreta.

In his 87-page decision, Borreta noted that drug syndicates are a scourge of society and must be wiped out from “the face of the earth.”

He explained, though, that his decision to convict the suspects was based on the prevailing law of the country.

Borreta said Babao and Galicia were convicted based on the testimonies of the arresting officers from the AIDSOTF that they were maintaining a drug den on F. Soriano street in Barangay Sto. Tomas, Pasig City.

Three hundred eleven people were arrested when government agents raided the compound on Feb. 10, 2006. However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) charged only 211 of them. They were divided into nine groups and 137 cases, involving 65 persons, were raffled off to Borreta’s sala.

Aside from Babao and Galicia, Borreta meted maximum prison terms to 63 others who were charged with visiting a drug den, possession of illegal drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, pot session and drug use.

Borreta said not one of the accused had been spared from punishment. He noted, however, that some of the respondents have jumped bail and he vowed to issue a warrant for their arrest.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Leon Nilo de la Cruz said he is presently conducting a massive manhunt not only against remnants of the Boratong drug syndicate but also to those who jumped bail in the cases handled by Borreta.

De la Cruz said Pasig City police chief Senior Superintendent Francisco Uyami Jr. is making great strides in his campaign to curb the illegal drugs trade in his city.

“The conviction of the 65 shabu tiangge suspects would not mean that we would lower our guard in the war against illegal drugs,” De Leon told The Star. “Instead, I directed Uyami, to intensify his anti-illegal drugs operations to permanently erase the scar brought about by the shabu tiangge debacle.”