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Naomi Ng

Christy Leung

Four Hongkongers were on Friday sentenced to life in prison by a Philippine court for possession of half a kilogram of methamphetamine.
The men were arrested at sea in July 2016 near a popular tourist resort in the southeast Asian country.
Lo Wing-fai, Chan Kwok-tung, Kwok Kam-wah and Leung Shu-fook had all denied charges of manufacturing illegal substances and possession of the drug known as “Ice”.
They claimed they were being framed.
But the court found them guilty on the possession charge while acquitting them of manufacturing illegal substances.

The families of the four flew to the Philippines to hear Friday’s court ruling. Lo’s elder sister, Lo Shu-ho, said she was enraged by the decision.
“It’s extremely unfair ... perhaps the court wants to avoid trouble with the government so they handed out life sentences – this is just too horrifying,” she said.
Hongkongers arrested in HK$104 million Philippines crystal meth crackdown
Hong Kong Democratic Party lawmaker James To Kun-sun, who has been helping the families of the four, confirmed the sentences on Friday. He described the convictions as “very unfair”.
“My staff are helping them there, and the families are seeking legal advice on a possible appeal,” To said.
He urged Beijing and Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to place priority on the case.
“The central government and the city’s chief executive should be concerned about whether the sentences were fair and consistent with the judgment,” To said.
“Is the alleged quantity of the drug proportional with the jail terms? We are talking about life imprisonment. Our lawyers are looking into the case and a possible appeal. I still think they are innocent.”
The group were detained in July 2016 on board a 50-metre fishing boat about 3km off the coast of Zambales province, northwest of Manila, amid a high-profile operation led by the country’s police chief, Ronald dela Rosa.

Authorities alleged the men were part of a racket moving drugs from the vessel to the mainland, and that equipment used for the production of crystal meth – known as shabu in the Philippines – had been seized in the police operation.
But the families claimed it was a set-up. They said officers found nothing in an initial search but later said they had discovered half a kilogram of “Ice” in one of the men’s backpacks, which had been taken out of their sight for a few minutes.
Is there a Hollywood ending to Duterte’s drug war?
To said the officers had arranged for media organisations to board the vessel to cover the search that day. After they whisked the backpack away, a sniffer dog indicated drugs were inside, he said. The journalists all witnessed it.
“We convinced one of the media outlets to testify and play its footage in court,” the lawmaker said.
He added that he had written to Lam about nine months ago to arrange a meeting on the case, but she only replied by letter, referring him to the city’s Immigration Department.

To flew to the Philippines two years ago to help the men, and referred them to a legal representative through Bernardito Ang, a member of Manila City Council.
Lo Shu-ho told the Post via text message from the Philippines: “It seemed like the verdict would be in their favour. I don’t know why they were sentenced to life imprisonment.”
The four were ordered to pay 5 million Philippine pesos (US$95,000) as a fine.
The high-profile arrests gained widespread coverage in the Philippine media in 2016 and came at a time of tension between the country and China over territorial claims in the South China Sea, as well as a war on drugs in the Philippines that President Rodrigo Duterte has pledged will be “relentless and sustained”.


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Drugs

Life sentences handed to four Hongkongers in Philippines on drug charge

Four arrested Chinese nationals were presented to PNP Chief Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa during his inspection last night of the floating shabu laboratory in Subic Bay, Brgy. Calapandayan. The seized 50-meter vessel was used to bring drug shipments to Ilocos, Cagayan, Pangasinan and Subic. Also confiscated in the vessel were shabu substance and equipment used in manufacturing drugs. SCMP Pictures(photo released by Philippine National Police) Hong Kong residents Lo Wing Fai, 42; Leung Shu Fook, 49; Kwok Kam Wah, 47; and Chan Kwok Tung, 29, were taken to Camp Crame and would be charged today with violating the Dangerous Drugs Act as well as immigration and maritime laws.

***ONE TIME USE ONLY, PLEASE CLEAR THE COPYRIGHTS BEFORE RE-USE - OTUO*** Handout picture (L to R) - Chan Kwok-tung, Kwok Kam-wah, Lo Shu-ho, Lo Wing-fai, and Leung Shu-fook. The families of four Hongkongers, who faced life in jail in the Philippines for operating a “floating crystal meth laboratory”, spelt out the burden brought by the lengthy court case and the squalid conditions behind the bars. Photo: SCMP

Daughter of the convicted Leung Shu-fook spoke to the media in the Philippine after the court ruling. Photo: HANDOUT

From left: Leung Shu-fook, Lo Wing-fai, Kwok Kam-wah and Chan Kwok-tung all denied charges of manufacturing illegal substances and possession of the drug known as ‘Ice’. Photo: Handout

‘Say hello to my little friend’: is there a Hollywood ending to Duterte’s drug war?

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte

Duterte

Al Pacino in Scarface. Photo: Handout

US actor Al Pacino in a scene from the film "Scarface", remake of Howards Hawk 1932 film, directed Brian De Palma, 1983. COURTESY TV

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Group had been found guilty of possession of half a kilogram of methamphetamine near Manila


Group had been found guilty of possession of half a kilogram of methamphetamine near Manila.


The Philippines

Crime

Life sentences handed to four Hongkongers in Philippines on drug charge

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Group had been found guilty of possession of half a kilogram of methamphetamine near Manila

Group had been found guilty of possession of half a kilogram of methamphetamine near Manila