A farm worker was sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday for selling six marijuana sticks to a police-poseur buyer in Brgy. Alangilan, Bacolod City, about six years ago.

Regional Trial Court Branch 47 Judge Edgar Garvilles found Jose Alberto Rotas Sr., alias "Gogoy," of Hacienda Busay, Brgy. Vista Alegre, Bacolod guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Section 5, Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2202.

The judge also ordered Rotas to pay P500,000 as fine, and that he be remitted to the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

Rotas was meted an additional 15-year prison term and ordered to pay P300,000 in fines for violation of Section 11 of R.A. 9165 or possession of illegal drugs

Meanwhile, the charges for propagating marijuana plants filed against Rotas was dismissed by Garvilles for the failure of the prosecution to produce evidence to prove their claims.

Rotas was apprehended in a buy-bust operation after he sold six sticks of marijuana to a member of the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group inside his compound on July 2, 2007.

Another 17 sticks of marijuana cigarets, dried marijuana leaves, a homemade 12-gauge shotgun with three live ammunitions were also seized from Rotas, police records show.*APN

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