CA affirms life term for 3 Indonesian drug mules

MANILA, Philippines -  The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the life sentence handed down by the Pasay City regional trial court (RTC) on three Indonesians caught carrying nearly 10 kilos of shabu upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in 2004.

In a 23-page decision, the CA’s 11th division junked a petition for review by Herawaty Ng, Maimum Wagimin and Khoe Hong Gek, saying their claim that they did not know about the shabu in their luggage “cannot constitute a valid defense.”

The decision was penned by Associate Justice Danton Bueser, with Associate Justices Noel Tijam and Marlene Gonzales-Sison concurring.

Aside from the life sentence, the CA also affirmed the Pasay RTC’s order for the three Indonesian nationals to pay a fine of P500,000 each.

Records show that the three Indonesians were arrested upon arriving from Hong Kong at the NAIA Terminal 2 on Sept. 5, 2004. Airport security personnel found 9.9 kilos of shabu in their luggage.

The Pasay RTC convicted the three Indonesians of drug trafficking on Oct. 28, 2005.

In their appeal, the three convicts argued that their luggage was searched without a valid warrant from the court, and that their interpreter was not able to translate the court proceedings well.

The CA said the luggage inspection of incoming passengers at the airport is a standard procedure and no warrant is needed if the passenger agrees to the inspection.