The four — Sy Tho, Whang Tha Ti, Chin Na Chua and Chen Chien — assisted by Chinese interpreter Ann Yao, entered pleas of not guilty when they were arraigned on charges of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 in the sala of Judge Armando Yanga of the Regional Trial Court Branch 66.
The four, now detained at the provincial jail in Barangay Suklayin here, appeared with their legal counsel, lawyer Nestor Cerezo.
When Mamer Banez, provincial correspondent of the tabloids People’s Journal and People’s Tonight, took photos of the four, the Chinese took out their sunglasses and wore them.
Yanga set on Jan. 18 the pre-trial of the case to be highlighted by the marking of exhibits and the submission of the names of potential witnesses.
During the arraignment, Yanga advised Cerezo to get a collaborating counsel based in the province to represent him in case he is unavailable.
"I have advised Atty. Cerezo that there is a need to get the services of a local counsel in view of the fact that there might be unforeseen events that will prevent him from attending the hearings such as when the road leading to the town becomes inaccessible in case of calamities," Yanga said.
The four Chinese are detained without bail and watched by a 30-man security unit at the provincial jail.
Anti-narcotics agents arrested them in the shabu laboratory in Barangay Butas Na Bato, Dingalan town last Aug. 30. The raid yielded 5.44 kilograms of shabu worth P120 million.
Prosecutor Hypierabad Casar and assistant provincial prosecutor Jonard Hernandez represented the prosecution in the arraignment.
After the pre-trial, Yanga said the court will proceed with the daily hearings on dates mutually acceptable to both parties.
Meanwhile, Yanga said the four Chinese are contented with conditions at the provincial jail, which has clean surroundings and their being served with sumptuous food cooked a local caterer which they share with their fellow inmates, who in turn are teaching them the dialect.