MAN GETS LIFE FOR MARIJUANA PUSHING

FOR a measly sum of P200, a 24-year-old man was convicted to spend his
life behind bars after the court found him guilty of selling five
packs of dried Indian Hemp, popularly known as marijuana leaves, to a
high-school student in Calinan, Davao City in January this year.

In a seven-page decision issued Tuesday, Judge Renato A. Fuentes of
the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branches 17 and 9 sentenced Ricardo
Gaputan of Barangay Cawayan, Calinan District, Davao City for
violation of Section 11 of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive
Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Gaputan entered a guilty plea when arraigned through the assistance of
his counsel Marlon Melodias on March 4.

Court records show that on the morning of January 19, a fourth year
student identified only as Jerry (name withheld for being a minor) of
Calinan National High School was arrested for possessing a rolled
stick of marijuana in front of the school.

When questioned, Jerry told police authorities that he bought the
marijuana from Gaputan. Immediately, police authorities formed a team
to conduct a buy-bust operation led by PO1 Allan Simangan and tasked
Jerry to act as poseur-buyer.

A P200 marked money was prepared and Jerry was briefed on what to
do.

Proceeding to Gaputan's house just a few meters away from the school,
policemen placed themselves in strategic locations and immediately
arrested Gaputan as soon as the marked money changed hands.

Confiscated from Gaputan were five packs of dried marijuana leaves
weighing a total of 13 grams.

Based on the law, Gaputan will also pay a fine ranging from P500,000
to P10 million to the government inaddition to his life imprisonment
penalty.