Tsinoy businessman faces raps for drug importation, possession

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino-Chinese businessman who received P40 million worth of shabu from China through a courier service is facing charges for importation of illegal drugs, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said yesterday.

This is aside from the drug possession charges against Marvin Sia, said Evangeline Almenario, head of PDEA’s public information office.

According to Almenario, drug importation is punishable under Section 4, Article 3 of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Drug possession is covered by Section 11, Article 3 of RA 9165.

Both offenses are non-bailable, considering that the contraband received by Sia weighed eight kilos, Almenario said.

PDEA agents arrested Sia at his residence at the Enclave Townhouses along Greenmeadows Avenue in Barangay Ugong, Quezon City Monday morning. The “controlled delivery” was prompted by information received by the agency that illegal drugs from China would be delivered to Sia’s address.

The contraband arrived at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga, and was eventually brought to Sia’s residence by a courier service.

PDEA Director General Jose Gutierrez Jr. said the package had been misdeclared as sodium tungstate. When it was received by Sia and PDEA agents took a sample of it, the chemical turned out to be shabu, also called methamphetamine hydrochloride.