MANILA – The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed a Muntinlupa court that sentenced a couple to life imprisonment for selling high-grade marijuana (kush) inside the posh Ayala Alabang Village (AAV) in Muntinlupa City.
The appellate court’s Special Fourth Division denied for lack of merit the appeal filed by Joshua Ramon Jimenez, 38, and 28-year-old partner Sarah Dominguez.
The 39-page decision dated October 3 affirmed the February 2020 decision of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 276, which also imposed a fine of more than PHP5 million.
The two were arrested in a buy-bust operation by elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency at a house inside the AAV on Sept. 30, 2018.
The court dismissed the accused’s arguments that the prosecution should have proven that there were investigations being undertaken prior to the actual entrapment operation.
“As regards the alleged inconsistency as to whether a prior surveillance was conducted prior to the buy-bust operation, it should be pointed out that the same is inconsequential and irrelevant to the elements of the offenses charged,” the court said, as it also dismissed the accused's claim that the marked money used in the operation should have been presented by the prosecution.
Seized from the two were 6 kilos of kush with a street value of PHP7.2 million and drug paraphernalia. (PNA)
