PUSHER ADMITS CRIME TO ESCAPE DEATH PUNISHMENT

A 24-YEAR-old drug pusher told the court he really sold five packs of
dried Indian hemp, known here as marijuana, to members of the Calinan
Police Station so he could escape the death penalty.

Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 9 Judge Renato Fuentes sentenced
Richard Gaputan to life imprisonment after Gaputan admitted he really
sold marijuana on January 19 to members of the Calinan Police Station.

Gaputan, a resident of Barangay Cougay, admitted the crime during his
arraignment last March 4.

In his eight-page decision, Fuentes also said Gaputan was poor and had
poor education.

Based on court records, members of the Calinan Police Station,
including a police informer, arrested Gaputan in a buy-bust operation
in his hosue.

In his affidavit, PO1 Allan Simangan said his team arrested Gaputan
while in the act of turning over P200 worth of dried marijuana leaves
to the civilian agent, an 18-year-old student whom they earlier
arrested for selling marijuana leaves.

Simangan said it was the student who told them that he bought the
marijuana from Gaputan.