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Solon faces sentencing in HK Tuesday
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:22:00 02/01/2011
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HONG KONG—Philippine Rep. Ronald Singson Monday pleaded guilty to
trafficking drugs into Hong Kong last year after a cocaine binge in
Manila was followed by a spur-of-the-moment decision to head to the
gambling enclave of Macau.
The court heard testimony that the lawmaker hid the drug in his underpants to elude airport security.
Singson was not immediately sentenced in Hong Kong’s District Court
pending testimony on whether he planned on consuming the cocaine or
sharing it with others—a factor that could influence the length of his
sentence.
He was caught carrying cocaine at the southern Chinese city’s
international airport in July. Drug trafficking carries a maximum
penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of HK$5 million ($640,000 or
about P28 million).
Under Hong Kong law, the mere act of bringing drugs to the territory
is defined as trafficking, regardless of whether the drugs are intended
for personal use or for sale or distribution.
The 42-year-old legislator was arrested at Hong Kong’s international
airport by customs officers on July 11, 2010. He admitted to bringing
6.67 grams of cocaine and two tablets of the narcotic Nitrazepam into
the city. The cocaine was hidden in his underpants.
The total value of the cocaine was about $2,000.
Singson pleaded for leniency, apologizing to the judge and the people of Hong Kong.
The sentencing hearing was set to continue on Tuesday.
Singson is the son of Luis “Chavit” Singson, governor of Ilocos Sur
province in the Philippines whose testimony in the corruption trial of
his former friend, ex-President Joseph Estrada, helped convict the
ousted leader in 2007 and secure a life prison term. Estrada was later
pardoned.
Singson said he used cocaine on and off since 2004, and also acknowledged using amphetamines in his 20s.
Quarrel with girlfriend
Singson said he went on a cocaine-and-gambling binge after attending
an Usher concert in Manila he helped stage last July 9, frustrated by an
argument with his girlfriend. He then decided to join a friend
attending a poker tournament in Macau and was arrested while transiting
through Hong Kong.
Singson, who is on bail, added he was undergoing rehabilitation for his drug addiction.
The lawmaker, a music promoter whose business interests include the
music station Channel V in the Philippines, denied any plan to resell
the drugs.
“(They) were solely for his own consumption. He had no intention of
engaging in commercial or social trafficking,” Singson’s lawyer John
Reading told Judge Joseph Yau.
Snorted daily
Singson said he had the drugs because of “political pressures,”
“pressure of faltering businesses” and relationship problems, adding
that he was suffering from depression.
“Even though I was successful in my own right, I didn’t feel happy,” he said.
He testified that he snorted cocaine daily, consuming between four
and five grams a day, costing him as much as P25,000, in several
monthlong binges starting in 2004.
“Whenever I took (cocaine), I took large amounts, frequently every day,” he told the court.
Big mistake
“I apologize to the people of Hong Kong,” Singson said. “This was a
very big mistake and in the process, I have ruined my name and
reputation, embarrassing my family and causing pain to my girlfriend.”
Singson added: “I’ve never been more remorseful in my life. This is
just the beginning of my problems. Not knowing my fate back home has
caused me a great deal of pain.”
“I ask you to find it in your heart to … sentence me with leniency.
There’s nothing more I want than to go on with my life,” he said.
“You are convicted on your own plea and admission of the facts,” Hong Kong Judge Yau told Singson in a packed courtroom.
‘A setup’
Last week, the original trial judge stood down from the case after
receiving a letter he said contained “prejudicial allegations” against
the lawmaker, and ordered the letter to be kept sealed.
Singson juggles jobs promoting US rhythm and blues acts in the Philippines with holding a parliamentary seat.
He won a second three-year term in the House of Representatives in May, in the seat long held by his family.
The 69-year-old Chavit Singson denied claims his son was a drug
dealer. “It’s a setup,” he told reporters in August when he was in Hong
Kong to attend his son’s bail hearing.
Tested negative
“So far so good,” the elder Singson said in a phone interview from Hong Kong, referring to the court proceedings.
“The problem is he (Ronald) had tested negative for drug use,” Chavit
Singson said. “If we cannot prove that he is a user, the judge has no
choice but to charge him with trafficking because if he won’t use it for
himself, then he would sell it. It’s tough.”
Governor Singson said he was hoping his son would convince the judge
that the cocaine was for his own use and he would be charged only with
possession. He said the penalty for this was deportation.
But if the judge rejected his claim that he was a user, Singson said
that his son could spend a long time in jail for trafficking.
No room in Congress
While Governor Singson has asked lawmakers to wait for the resolution
of his son’s case before acting on calls for his ouster from the House
of Representatives, Deputy Minority Leader and Zambales Rep. Milagros
Magsaysay said that being a confessed drug user was enough for the House
to expel him.
“I still maintain my position that any one who violates the law has
no place in Congress. Though he is not guilty in our own country, as
legislator, delicadeza and moral values should be at the forefront when
one is a public servant,” Magsaysay said.
She urged Congressman Singson to resign rather than go through a
“divisive” expulsion process which would need two-thirds of the House’s
287 members to be carried out.
The chair of the committee on justice, Iloilo Rep. Neil Tupas, said
the House should immediately start its ethics probe on Singson
considering the damage the drug bust has done to the House’s reputation.
Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello said: “I think this is a blot on
the reputation of the House. I feel Representative Singson should
resign instead of putting the House through the painful process of
prosecuting and throwing him out on ethics charges. His doing so might
shame and persuade others with higher crimes to resign as well.” Reports from Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:22:00 02/01/2011
Filed Under: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.],[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.],[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
HONG KONG—Philippine Rep. Ronald Singson Monday pleaded guilty to
trafficking drugs into Hong Kong last year after a cocaine binge in
Manila was followed by a spur-of-the-moment decision to head to the
gambling enclave of Macau.
The court heard testimony that the lawmaker hid the drug in his underpants to elude airport security.
Singson was not immediately sentenced in Hong Kong’s District Court
pending testimony on whether he planned on consuming the cocaine or
sharing it with others—a factor that could influence the length of his
sentence.
He was caught carrying cocaine at the southern Chinese city’s
international airport in July. Drug trafficking carries a maximum
penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of HK$5 million ($640,000 or
about P28 million).
Under Hong Kong law, the mere act of bringing drugs to the territory
is defined as trafficking, regardless of whether the drugs are intended
for personal use or for sale or distribution.
The 42-year-old legislator was arrested at Hong Kong’s international
airport by customs officers on July 11, 2010. He admitted to bringing
6.67 grams of cocaine and two tablets of the narcotic Nitrazepam into
the city. The cocaine was hidden in his underpants.
The total value of the cocaine was about $2,000.
Singson pleaded for leniency, apologizing to the judge and the people of Hong Kong.
The sentencing hearing was set to continue on Tuesday.
Singson is the son of Luis “Chavit” Singson, governor of Ilocos Sur
province in the Philippines whose testimony in the corruption trial of
his former friend, ex-President Joseph Estrada, helped convict the
ousted leader in 2007 and secure a life prison term. Estrada was later
pardoned.
Singson said he used cocaine on and off since 2004, and also acknowledged using amphetamines in his 20s.
Quarrel with girlfriend
Singson said he went on a cocaine-and-gambling binge after attending
an Usher concert in Manila he helped stage last July 9, frustrated by an
argument with his girlfriend. He then decided to join a friend
attending a poker tournament in Macau and was arrested while transiting
through Hong Kong.
Singson, who is on bail, added he was undergoing rehabilitation for his drug addiction.
The lawmaker, a music promoter whose business interests include the
music station Channel V in the Philippines, denied any plan to resell
the drugs.
“(They) were solely for his own consumption. He had no intention of
engaging in commercial or social trafficking,” Singson’s lawyer John
Reading told Judge Joseph Yau.
Snorted daily
Singson said he had the drugs because of “political pressures,”
“pressure of faltering businesses” and relationship problems, adding
that he was suffering from depression.
“Even though I was successful in my own right, I didn’t feel happy,” he said.
He testified that he snorted cocaine daily, consuming between four
and five grams a day, costing him as much as P25,000, in several
monthlong binges starting in 2004.
“Whenever I took (cocaine), I took large amounts, frequently every day,” he told the court.
Big mistake
“I apologize to the people of Hong Kong,” Singson said. “This was a
very big mistake and in the process, I have ruined my name and
reputation, embarrassing my family and causing pain to my girlfriend.”
Singson added: “I’ve never been more remorseful in my life. This is
just the beginning of my problems. Not knowing my fate back home has
caused me a great deal of pain.”
“I ask you to find it in your heart to … sentence me with leniency.
There’s nothing more I want than to go on with my life,” he said.
“You are convicted on your own plea and admission of the facts,” Hong Kong Judge Yau told Singson in a packed courtroom.
‘A setup’
Last week, the original trial judge stood down from the case after
receiving a letter he said contained “prejudicial allegations” against
the lawmaker, and ordered the letter to be kept sealed.
Singson juggles jobs promoting US rhythm and blues acts in the Philippines with holding a parliamentary seat.
He won a second three-year term in the House of Representatives in May, in the seat long held by his family.
The 69-year-old Chavit Singson denied claims his son was a drug
dealer. “It’s a setup,” he told reporters in August when he was in Hong
Kong to attend his son’s bail hearing.
Tested negative
“So far so good,” the elder Singson said in a phone interview from Hong Kong, referring to the court proceedings.
“The problem is he (Ronald) had tested negative for drug use,” Chavit
Singson said. “If we cannot prove that he is a user, the judge has no
choice but to charge him with trafficking because if he won’t use it for
himself, then he would sell it. It’s tough.”
Governor Singson said he was hoping his son would convince the judge
that the cocaine was for his own use and he would be charged only with
possession. He said the penalty for this was deportation.
But if the judge rejected his claim that he was a user, Singson said
that his son could spend a long time in jail for trafficking.
No room in Congress
While Governor Singson has asked lawmakers to wait for the resolution
of his son’s case before acting on calls for his ouster from the House
of Representatives, Deputy Minority Leader and Zambales Rep. Milagros
Magsaysay said that being a confessed drug user was enough for the House
to expel him.
“I still maintain my position that any one who violates the law has
no place in Congress. Though he is not guilty in our own country, as
legislator, delicadeza and moral values should be at the forefront when
one is a public servant,” Magsaysay said.
She urged Congressman Singson to resign rather than go through a
“divisive” expulsion process which would need two-thirds of the House’s
287 members to be carried out.
The chair of the committee on justice, Iloilo Rep. Neil Tupas, said
the House should immediately start its ethics probe on Singson
considering the damage the drug bust has done to the House’s reputation.
Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello said: “I think this is a blot on
the reputation of the House. I feel Representative Singson should
resign instead of putting the House through the painful process of
prosecuting and throwing him out on ethics charges. His doing so might
shame and persuade others with higher crimes to resign as well.” Reports from Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
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