CA overturns drug conviction
BAGUIO CITY — The Court of Appeals (CA) has reversed the conviction by a regional trial court (RTC) of the alleged right-hand man of a half-Somali, half-Filipino suspected drug boss here after police allegedly tampered with evidence.
The appellate court granted the appeal of Jeffrey Tolentino, 40, earlier convicted of drug trafficking.
“He is thus thereby ordered immediately released from detention unless there exist other lawful causes for his continued detention,” according to a copy of the ruling.
The defendant was caught in a drug sting in the village of San Vicente in Baguio City in August 2020. He was shot by law enforcers after trying to evade arrest.
A trial court convicted the defendant in November 2022 and sentenced him to two years and six months in jail.
The CA sided with the defendant, who argued the trial court erred in convicting him in the absence of witnesses during his apprehension. He also said police documented the seized drugs in his absence. — Artemio A. Dumlao