ILLEGAL DRUG DEALER GETS DEATH, JAIL TERM

THE death penalty, plus another 24 years imprisonment and a fine of
P7,450,000 was handed to a drug dealer in Digos City, Davao del Sur, after
he was found guilty of possessing shabu weighing 70.7916 grams and 4.9
grams marijuana seeds in February.

Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 9 Judge Adoracion Avisado, in a 19-page
decision issued Friday, convicted Joel Jairal based on three separate
information filed against him.

Avisado ruled that the testimonies of the prosecution are strong and
overwhelming, while there is no evidence to support Jairal's claim, except
for his denial.

Court records show that at around 2:30 p.m. on February 25, police raided
Jairal's rented house and found him with another man.

The raiding team recovered one big cellophane and another three big sachets
containing a total of 70.7961 grams of shabu, another sachet containing 4.9
grams marijuana seeds, P1,000 cash believed to be proceeds from the sale of
shabu and various shabu paraphernalia.

Jairal claimed on that afternoon, four armed policemen barged in his rented
house and ordered him to lie flat on the floor.

He claimed a certain SPO1 Bienvenido Furog took his necklace, watch and rings.

He was already handcuffed when barangay officials and the media arrived
five minutes later, he said. He also claimed it was only then when the
search warrant was shown to him.

Jairal denied being engaged in drug activities and claimed it was his first
time to see shabu in court. But Jairal's urine examination proved him
positive of shabu and marijuana use.

He was sentenced to death penalty and a fine of P7 million for shabu
possession, 20 years imprisonment and a fine of P400,000 for marijuana
possession, and another four years and a fine of P50,000 for possession of
shabu paraphernalia.

Jairal was the fifth person in Davao City to be meted the death penalty
since the implementation of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs
Act of 2002 in July.