By DHEL NAZARIO
A TAGUIG City court sentenced three men to life imprisonment on Monday after being found guilty of selling illegal drugs in 2011.
Judge Antonio Olivete of Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 267 convicted Jose Vastine, Edilberto Ty, and Alberto Joaquin for violating Section 5 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. They were also fined P500,000 each.
Ong and Vastine were also ordered to undergo rehabilitation for a minimum period of six months in a government center after they were found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Section 15 Article 2 of the same law.
Olivete ordered the commitment of the three convicted drug pushers to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
Vastine, Ty and Ong were arrested in a buy-bust operation that yielded two kilograms of high-grade cocaine worth P10 million in 2011.
It can be remembered that Tinga drug syndicate members Joel Tinga and Elisa “Ely” Tinga were also sentenced to reclusion perpetua for selling illegal drugs in September 2016 and February 2017, respectively.
Elisa, wife of Noel Tinga, was the third most wanted person in the list of illegal drug personalities. She was the seventh member of the Tinga drug syndicate who was arrested and jailed.
The top 10 drug personalities in 2015 — Michael Butch Tan, Sancho Espiritu, Alfonso Dacquel, Richard Silvestre, Isidro Llagas, Mardie Talampas, Jackie Abone, Adonis Venus, Bags Malay and Rawie Castro — are all now behind bars.
“This is a crucial victory in a crusade we’ve begun in 2010,” said Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano.
“The adverse effects of illegal drugs ripple from the individual to the community at large so we’ve maintained the offensive versus this industry. Each drug personality we pin down is definitely a win for the city,” she added.
Taguig, under Cayetano, implements a “one-strike policy” against business establishments allowing patrons and customers to use illegal drugs. The city government immediately revokes business permits even though establishments are first-time offenders. (Dhel Nazario)
