3 Chinese get life terms over drugs

MANILA, Philippines—Three Chinese nationals arrested two years ago received life sentences for drugs, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said Friday.

PDEA director general, Undersecretary Jose Gutierrez Jr. said that suspects SunXiao Xu a.k.a William Chua,  Wenxian Hong  a.k.a  Andy Hong, and XiuQin Shi known by her alias Kim Sy, were also each ordered to pay a P3-million fine after being found guilty of possessing seven kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or “shabu.”

In an 18-page decision, the court said it “believes that the prosecution has established its case against the accused with moral certainty, proven the existence of elements of the offenses charged and that the corpus delicti properly established and preserved.”

Guiterrez added that the two male convicts–Sunxiao and Wenxian—both received double life sentences, after they were also found guilty of selling almost 500 grams of shabu.

The three were arrested on April 18, 2010 in a buy-bust operation along Doña Soledad Avenue, Better Living, in Parañaque City.

“Another drug case was favorably resolved. The good collaboration among the different pillars of our justice system: law enforcement, investigation and prosecution, the courts, and the community, represents another victory in our unrelenting campaign against illegal drugs,” Gutierrez said.

SunXiao and Wenxian will be transferred to the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City, while XiuQin will be detained at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City, he said.