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Woman gets life sentence for selling ‘Ecstasy’

01/31/2009

The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) has sentenced a woman to life imprisonment who was arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation for selling 30 tablets af a “high end” drug called “Ecstasy” in Malate, Manila sometime in 2002.

The accused, identified as Minnie Tumalak a.k.a. Mitch, was sentenced to life imprisonment after the court found her guilty of violation on Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drug) of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

According to Judge Carmelita Manahan of Manila RTC Branch 16, the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment due to the suspension of death penalty by President Arroyo.

Aside form prison term, the accused was also ordered to pay P1 million in damages.

In her eight-page decision, Manahan did not give merit on the defense of the accused saying she was a victim of “frame-up” by the authorities who arrested her.

“When police officers have no motive to testify falsely against the accused, courts are inclined to uphold the presumption,” the decision said.

Court records show Tumalak was arrested inside Café Adriatico in Malate during the buy bust operation inside the establishment.

Operatives from the NBI narcotics section nabbed her on July 31, 2002 for possessing 30 tablets of Ecstasy which weigh 7.4448 grams.

Prosecution witness special investigator Arthur Oliveros of the NBI Narcotics Division said his office received an information through their asset that 30 tablets of Ecstasy would be sold in the establishment.

Atty. Ruel Lasala, head of NBI Narcotics Division, planned a buy-bust operation first at Starbucks Coffee near Remedios Circle , Malate on July 31, 2002 around 9 in the evening.

It was Oliveros who served as poseur buyer and went to Starbucks to buy the drugs and talked with the informant and two female companions who asked if he had the amount of P60,000 as payment for 30 tablets of Ecstasy.

The accused even told the poseur buyer to proceed to Café Adriatico to finalize the transaction.

Oliveros testified in court it was Tumalak who showed him one sample of Ecstasy tablet while the poseur buyer demanded for 20 more tablets.

Tumalak then demanded the payment of P60,000 fromthe buyer. After handing over the marked money, NBI agents quickly arrested the suspect who was in possession of 29 tablets of Ecstasy.

Pat C. Santos