Four HK nationals sentenced to life imprisonment for illegal drug possession in Subic

(Courtesy Google map)

 

(Eagle News) — Four Hong Kong nationals were found guilty for illegal drug possession for a 2016 drug case in Subic Bay and were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Olongapo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 74 found the accused Win Fai Lo, Shu Fook Leung, Kam Wah Kwok and Kwok Tung Chan guilty on the charge of possession of illegal drugs. They were apprehended in July 2016 by the Philippine National Police Anti-Illegal Drugs Unit, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Bureau of Immigration and the Bureau of Customs.

They were found in a boat in Subic Bay and they had in their possession close to 470 grams of shabu and a hydrogenator, an equipment used in the manufacture of the illegal drug, at the time.

The Department of Justice welcomed the conviction of the accused on the possession charge but expressed dismay over the court’s decision to acquit them on the charge of manufacture of illegal drugs.

The Court had dismissed on the ground of reasonable doubt the charge of manufacture of illegal drugs.

Aside from the penalty of life imprisonment, they were also penalized to pay P5 million each as civil liability.

The DOJ prosecuting panel in the case was composed of Juan Pedro Navera, Irwin Maraya, Josie Christina Dugay and Ethel Rea Suril.

(With a report from Moira Encina, Eagle News Service)