SC affirms life sentence on 2 Malaysian drug couriers

MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld the conviction of two Malaysian nationals who were arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in 2012 while attempting to smuggle illegal drugs tucked in the false bottom of their luggage.

In a 17-page decision promulgated on March 24 and recently made available online, the SC’s First Division affirmed the Court of Appeals (CA) guilty verdict in 2018 and sentenced Tamil Selvi Veloo and N. Chandrar Nadarajan to life imprisonment and a fine of PHP800,000 each.

“In the present case, we note that the total amount of drugs recovered from the Dibola (brand of) bag alone, i.e. four kilos, is hardly miniscule and that the drugs were found packed in heat-sealed containers, thus minimizing the risk of tampering, loss or mistake,” the tribunal said.

The court, however, acquitted the two in a second charge involving another bag also containing drugs since it was not in their possession when it was seized.

The court said the fact that it was retrieved from a hotel representative outside the airport after more or less one hour “engenders doubt in the Court’s mind as to the integrity of the contents thereof”.

The two were arrested at the NAIA Terminal 2 on June 16, 2012, shortly after they arrived via Philippine Airlines (Flight PR 319) from Hong Kong.

At the conveyor belt, Veloo took the black Dibola luggage while Nadarajan took a black Phoenix brand bag.

They then queued separately at adjacent lanes at the Customs area.

Veloo was asked to open her bag by customs examiner Carol Buenconsejo after she was questioned why her companion was in another lane.

A search of the false bottom of the luggage yielded plastic bags containing crystallized granules.

Veloo then pointed to Nadarajan and said he was her husband.

Nadarajan, who was already outside the Customs exit gate when apprehended, denied they were a couple and said he just met her on the plane.

Government agents then retrieved Nadarajan’s suitcase which was already passed on to the alleged hotel representative.

Two more kilos of crystallized granules inside six clear plastic packs were recovered from the false bottom of the second recovered bag.

The two were found guilty by a regional trial court for violation of Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, Section 5 that penalizes the transport of prohibited drugs.

The court noted that the duo’s electronic tickets bore glaring similarities, such as the same reservation codes, issuing agent, issuance date, and consecutive ticket number pattern, leading to the conclusion that they were simultaneously booked.

“Even disregarding the Phoenix bag as to the integrity of the drug specimens found therein, both Veloo and Nadarajan are accountable for the transport of the drug specimens found in the Dibola bag,” the court ruled. (PNA)