A beautician from Sibulan, Negros Oriental, was sentenced to a maximum of 14 years imprisonment for possession of a heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing 0.01 gram of shabu.
Regional Trial Court Branch 34 Judge Rosendo Bandal found Casiano Divino of Boloc-boloc, Sibulan, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of shabu possession in violation of Section 11, Article II of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
He was meted a prison term of 12 years and one day minimum to 14 years maximum, and to pay a fine of P400,000.
The court also finds that the crime committed by the accused is attended by an aggravating circumstance, considering that, at the time of its commission, Divino was also found positive for shabu.
Divino was arrested by barangay kagawads Dandy Catada and George Balongag April 2011 in Barangay Looc, while they were doing foot patrol with some tanods.
Bandal said that, time and again, a mere denial, just like alibi, is a self-serving negative evidence that cannot be accorded greater evidentiary weight than the declarations of credible witnesses who testify on affirmative matters.*JG
back to top |