A Taguig judge sentenced actor Bing Davao to a maximum of four years’ imprisonment after finding him guilty of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia during a surprise raid of his condominium unit in Maharlika Village more than a year ago.
Acting Presiding Judge Raul Bautista Villanueva of the Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 267 also ordered Davao to pay a fine of P50,000.
Davao’s wife Fatima was acquitted of the charges of illegal possession of dangerous drugs and drug paraphernalia due to insufficient evidence.
Court records showed that on June 22, 2007, four Taguig police officers were about to serve an arrest warrant on an individual reportedly hiding at the Medium Rise Condominium in Maharlika Village, Barangay Upper Bicutan.
As the policemen reached the second floor of the building, they saw through a glass window a group said to be engaged in a pot session.
Police Officer 3 Danilo Arago of the Taguig Police Intelligence Unit testified in court that upon seeing the group – three men and a woman – they barged into the unit and confiscated a tooter and three plastic sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.
Davao, his wife, Police Officer 1 Abdulpatta Tula and Hasbi Muco were arrested and brought to the police station, where they were subjected to drug tests.
Arago said they were not able to apprehend their target suspect.
Davao, a movie and television actor, alleged that the police searched their room and checked their personal belongings even when they were not shown any search warrant. He denied that policemen found shabu paraphernalia in his house.
Davao also testified that Arago asked him for P100,000 and because he refused to give money, the police charged them in court.
While Fatima tested negative for prohibited drugs, Davao, Tula and Muco tested positive for shabu.
“The denial or alibi of accused Bing Davao cannot be given much weight. As far as the court is concerned, it cannot but conclude that the defense being adduced by him is unsubstantiated and unreliable. Surely, he cannot be exonerated on his bare assertions,” Villanueva said.
Tula, who was assigned with the Police Community Precinct 2 of the Taguig Police, and Muco, a former policeman, jumped bail even before they could be arraigned. They remain at large.
“Surely, this indicates that other accused Muco and Tula may have committed the crime being attributed to them and accused Bing Davao. After all, flight is a strong indication of guilt,” the decision read.