Court affirms life sentence for 3 Indonesian drug mules

MANILA, Philippines – Three Indonesian nationals stand to suffer the fate of the three Filipinos convicted in China for trafficking illegal drugs to a foreign land.

But the big difference is that the Indonesian drug mules here get to keep their lives entirely behind bars while the convicted Filipinos in Beijing do not.

This after the Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the life sentence handed down by the Pasay City regional trial court (RTC) against the three Indonesians caught carrying over nine kilos of shabu upon their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in 2004.

In a 23-page decision, the 11th division of the appellate court upheld the conviction of Herawaty Ng, Maimum Wagimin and Khoe Hong Gek.

The CA junked their petition for review, saying their claim of lack of knowledge about the illegal drugs inside their luggage cannot constitute a valid defense.

Accordingly, this Court finds no valid or cogent reason to amend, much less, reverse the appealed decision, the same being in accord with the facts, the law and jurisprudence, stated the ruling penned by Associate Justice Danton Bueser.

Aside from the life sentence, the CA also affirmed the Pasay RTC order for the three Indonesian nationals to pay a fine of P500,000 each.

Records show that the three Indonesians were arrested upon arrival from Hong Kong at the NAIA Terminal II on board Philippine Airlines Flight PR 307 on Sept. 5, 2004.

When their luggage passed through the x-ray machine, its operator detected an image in the monitor similar to a crystalline substance in three suitcases owned by the appellants.

Further inspection made by airport security personnel led to the seizure of 24 plastic containers containing a total of 9.973 kilos of shabu from the appellants’ bags.

Drug trafficking charges were later filed against the three Indonesian nationals before the Pasay RTC.

On Oct.28, 2005, the trial court found the three guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of violation of Section 5, Article II of Republic Act 9165 and sentenced them to suffer the penalty of life imprisonment. (report from Edu Punay, Philstar.com)