Ex-Misamis board member gets life for drugs

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — A lawyer and former provincial board member in Misamis Oriental may spend the rest of his life in prison.

Michael Roa, a resident of Barangay 5, Balingasag, was found guilty of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by Regional Trial Court Branch 21 Judge Gil Bollozos in a 17-page decision promulgated on July 5 and released on Wednesday.

The court also ordered Roa to pay a fine of P400,000.

Roa’s brother Porferio was meted the same penalty. His nephew John Rey was ordered to undergo drug rehabilitation for six months.

Their alleged cohort, Justine Mae Pundavela, managed to escape during the raid on Roa’s house on Nov. 10, 2016. She remains at large.

Police said the convicts yielded 12 sachets of shabu.

“On record are photographs showing the media representative and a barangay official signing the receipt of property seized with all of the accused beside and in the presence of PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency), police officers and other witnesses. The items were marked at the place of incident and... inventory was made,” the ruling read.

“Evaluating the evidence of the prosecution, the court finds all accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt,” it said.