More than eleven years after the commission of the crime, two Chinese nationals were finally convicted by the court for possession of 7.9 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.
Hon. Henri Jean-Paul Inting, Presiding Judge of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 95, found the accused, Tai On Cheung and Lung Wai Tang, guilty beyond reasonable doubt, sentencing them both to reclusion perpetua and pay a fine of P500,000 each.
Tai On Cheung and Lung Wai Tang were apprehended on July 18, 2000, after authorities recovered 7.9 kilograms of shabu by virtue of search warrant served against them at Unit 310, SGB Condominium along Panay Avenue in Quezon City.
“The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is delighted with the outcome of the case. Although the case against Tai On Cheung and Lung Wai Tang was filed back in 2000, when the governing law against illegal drugs was still Republic Act 6425, PDEA still considers it a victory for the Agency,” said PDEA Director General Undersecretary Jose S. Gutierrez, Jr.
Upon the operationalization of PDEA as the as the lead anti-drug agency with the enactment of Republic Act 9165 in 2002, PDEA paid special attention to the Tai On Cheung and Lung Wai Tang case, recognizing the significance of the volume of illegal drugs and the personalities involved. Through the Agency’s Legal and Prosecution Service (PDEA LPS), constant liaising and close coordination with the National Prosecutors Office was established to strengthen the evidence against the accused.
Gutierrez said this recent accomplishment is the product of harmonious working relationship between law enforcers and prosecutors.
“The unwavering dedication and commitment of prosecutors and law enforcers as witnesses played a crucial role in presenting air-tight evidence against the accused. This subsequently convinced the rule in favor of the government,” Gutierrez said. Evangeline DJ Almenario, Chief, Public Information Office, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
