2 get 16 years for visiting drug den

MANILA, Philippines - Two men were sentenced to 16 years in jail for being in the wrong place at the wrong time: they were arrested when lawmen raided the controversial Pasig City shabu “tiangge” or flea market three years ago.

Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 164 Judge Librado Correa found Norman Pedrogaza and Ringo Nesortado guilty of visiting a drug den and ordered each of them to pay a fine of P100,000.

Correa gave credence to the testimonies of the police officers presented by the prosecution who “were just performing their job as law enforcers.”

“It would be difficult for them (police) to concoct evidence against the accused,” Correa said in his 14-page decision, adding that, “the court did not find any statement from the accused that the police officers were impelled by ill-motive in arresting them.” 

Nesortado claimed he was at his aunt’s store when agents of the Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF) frisked him and brought him to Camp Crame together with at least 300 other arrested persons.

Pedrogaza failed to present evidence to exculpate himself from the charges as he jumped bail. He pleaded not guilty during arraignment of the case.

In the same decision, the court absolved Eduardo Silvestre and Yusop Palao of charges of maintaining a drug den and ordered their release from the Pasig City jail unless they are facing other charges.

“The testimony does not show that accused Silvestre and Palao owned, operated and or maintained a drug den,” said Correa.

The prosecution presented in court AIDSOTF members who raided the shabu “tiangge” along Soriano street in Barangay Sto. Tomas last Feb. 10, 2006.

The alleged operator of the shabu “tiangge,” Amin Imam Boratong, and his second wife, Sherly Molera, are on trial for maintenance of a drug den before Pasig City RTC Branch 154 Judge Abraham Borreta.