Pharmacist gets life term for illegal drugs

BAGUIO CITY -- A jail guard’s devotion to duty here has led to the recent conviction of a pharmacist to life imprisonment for pushing illegal drugs and a fine of P2 million pesos before the Regional Trial Court Branch 61, First Judicial Region in this city.

Jail Officer 2 Michael Montes caught Oct. 21 last year Noveline Faith Meris for delivering shabu to her common law husband, Ferdinand Lazaro, who was earlier detained at the city jail for grave drug offenses. Lazaro was supposed to sell the shabu inside the jail.

JO2 Montes saw Meris passing a small flashlight to Lazaro and when he checked the flashlight, he found a heat-sealed transparent sachet containing shabu-like substance concealed in the flashlight’s handle.

Meris hurriedly left the jail premises after witnessing the jail guard’s discovery of the contraband but Montes caught up with her and arrested her on the street below city hall.

In a decision dated Aug. 17, 2010, presiding judge Antonio C. Reyes found Meris guilty beyond reasonable doubt for violating Section 5 (Delivery of Dangerous Drugs) of Republic Act 9165 (The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

Earlier, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency–Cordillera signed a memorandum of agreement with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Cordillera to check jail visitors, inmates and detention facilities to prevent entry and proliferation of illegal drugs.