OLONGAPO CITY – The Olongapo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment four Hongkongers for their involvement in the operation of a floating shabu laboratory in the town of Subic in 2016.
Olongapo City RTC Branch 74 handed its verdict after finding the four accused — Win Fai Lo, Shu Fook Leung, Kam Wah Kwok and Kwok Tung Chan — guilty of possession of illegal drugs.
Apart from life imprisonment, the court also ordered each of them to pay P5 million as civil liability.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) lauded the decision of the Olongapo City RTC.
“The Department is satisfied that the four accused have been handed the sentence of life imprisonment. Such a sentence would keep them off the trade,” said DoJ spokesman Undersecretary Markk Perete in a statement.
“This conviction brings the government a step closer to curbing and hopefully eradicating the supply of illegal drugs,” he said
The DoJ, however, expressed dismay over the court’s decision acquitting them of manufacturing illegal substances charge.
The four were apprehended on July 11, 2016 by joint elements of the Philippine National Police-Anti Illegal Drugs Unit, the Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Immigration and Bureau of Customs.
They were found aboard a vessel in Subic Bay near the shores of Barangay Calapandayan, where operatives discovered 467.8 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu.
Authorities also found aboard the vessel a hydrogenator, an equipment used in the manufacture of the illegal drug. (Jonas Reyes, Jeffrey Damicog)