Cocaine congressman gets 18 months for trafficking

Philippine congressman Ronald Singson was yesterday sentenced in a Hong Kong court to 11/2 years in jail for trafficking 6.67 grams of cocaine and two tranquiliser tablets.

The 41-year-old politician had earlier pleaded guilty to trafficking the drugs hidden in his luggage and in his underpants while in transit to Macau on July 11 last year. But he successfully argued that the drugs were for his own consumption.

After sentencing, Singson's family said they would discuss with their lawyers whether to lodge an appeal.

In sentencing, Judge Joseph Yau Chi-lap said he was saddened by Singson's fall from grace but that he only had himself to blame.

'[Singson] has virtually everything any man would dream to have. He however did not treasure what he has and indulged in the abuse of dangerous drugs,' the judge said. 'The defendant has asked for it for himself by what he did. It's sad to see a man of the defendant's background fall from grace.'

The court heard that Singson had used cocaine on and off since 2004 and had gone on a binge after an argument with his actress girlfriend following an Usher concert in Manila. He was intercepted in the Hong Kong International Airport when he was on transit to Macau for a poker tournament. The drugs had a street value of about HK$15,800.