Two drug dealers get life terms,fine of P5 million

BAGUIO CITY —Two drug dealers recently found guilty for selling shabu and each sentenced to life terms and fine of P5 million by Judge Antonio Reyes of a local court here.

They were identified as Hubert Ibarra, 40, auto mechanic, native of Davao City and resident of F.I. Ortega St., Middle Quezon Hill and Nelson Garcia, 54, businessman of  Floresca St., Aurora Hill.

Both were sentenced April 17 by the First Judicial Region’s Regional Trial Court Branch 61. 

A police report said Ibarra had been in target list of illegal drug personalities in the Cordillera and member of a local drug group.

Garcia was identified with another notorious, long-existing drug group in Baguio.

Over two years and a month prior to conviction, the duo and a cohort named, Nelson Montemayor, were arrested in a buy-bust operation at Floresca St. on March 8, 2011, by agents of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency – Cordillera.

Montemayor was, however, acquitted.

Confiscated during the operation were two sachets of shabu, weighing 8.47 grams, then the third biggest haul of ofshabu in the Cordillera within the period of three years; 5.96 grams of dried marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Judge Antonio C. Reyes, presiding judge of the Baguio City drug court convicted Ibarra 12 years and one day to 20 years term and fine of P300,000 for unlawful possession of dangerous drugs.

The convict was also penalized six months and one day to four years imprisonment and fine P30,000 for unlawful possession of paraphernalia for dangerous drugs.

Ibarra was earlier apprehended with .92 grams of shabu, on Aug. 11, 2003, at Quezon Hill but was acquitted on April 3, 2006.

Subsequently, Hubert was again arrested on Dec. 14, 2008, this time with his brother, Robert Ibarra alias “Bobby” and one Ariel Caliposat Victoria Village, Quezon Hill Proper in an anti-drug operation, also by the PDEA.

Eight grams of shabu, drug paraphernalia and a Tamaraw FX taxi were seized from them.

However, they were released from detention a year after acquittal.

William Ibarra, the brother of Hubert and Robert, was also nabbed with .22 grams of shabu by PDEA agents on June 15, 2009, but he was likewise found “not guilty” on April 20, 2010 for selling and possessing illegal drugs.

Robert was yet again caught with .78 gram of shabu in a buy-bust operation on May 19, 2010 at Green Valley Junction, Baguio City by the City Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group of the Baguio City Police Office.

This, while  on March 2, 2011, the Regional AIDSOTG of the Police Regional Office – Cordillera entrapped William along Ortega St. in Quezon Hill, wherein  1.10 grams of shabu and assorted drug paraphernalia were confiscated from him.

Meanwhile, Garcia was apprehended with then notorious Albert Nider on Sept. 26, 2001 by operatives of the narcotics group of the Philippine National Police.

They were arrested with 1.44 grams of shabu and consequently tried in court for illegal drugs but exonerated of charges on April 25, 2005.

Brothers Hubert and Robert are apparently meant to be reunited in prison, only this time at the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila.