Ex-Quezon mayor gets life over 2001 shabu bust

A Quezon City court on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment former mayor Ronnie Mitra of Panukulan town in Quezon and a driver for transporting hundreds of kilograms of shabu nearly six years ago. Judge Theresa Yadao of the Quezon City regional trial court-Branch 80 also ordered Mitra and Javier Moralla, driver of the government ambulance used in the crime, to each pay P10 million in fines for violating provisions of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972. "The Court finds that the prosecution, by clear and convincing evidence, has overcome the constitutional presumption of innocence once enjoyed by accused Mitra and Morilla," Yadao said in her 28-page decision. She added that, "It has established beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of the accused who must suffer the consequences of being instruments in spreading the plague of dangerous drugs menacing the nation." However, Yadao acquitted two men who were on board the ambulance when the drug bust was carried out on Oct. 13, 2001. She said the prosecution failed to prove the guilt of co-accused Chinese national Willie Yang and Ruel Dequilla. Authorities recovered at least 503.68 kilograms of shabu from the Kia Besta government ambulance, as well as other sacks of the contraband from Mitra's Starex van. The ambulance was flagged at a checkpoint along the national highway in Real, Quezon. Mitra drove past the checkpoint using his Starex van, but the police stopped the trailing ambulance and found sacks of shabu inside. Upon questioning, Morilla said he was with the former town mayor. The police then chased Mitra's vehicle, finally halting it at a chokepoint about a kilometer and a half away. Yadao was not convinced by Mitra's claim that he thought he was carrying tiles and electronic spare parts. He said the sacks were supposed to be delivered to a certain Ben Tan in Manila. - GMANews.TV