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| Eastern Magistracy in Sai Wan Ho |
By Vir B. Lumicao
A Filipina domestic worker appeared on Eastern Court
The focus of the magistrate, however, was not on the defendant,
Michelle Dabao, but on the attempt by the prosecution to adjourn the hearing
yet again for another four weeks.
Dabao was arrested sometime late last year, while allegedly
carrying an unspecified amount of dangerous drugs and equipment to sniff drugs.
She was charged with one count each of “trafficking in a
dangerous drug,” “possession of a dangerous drug” and “possession of apparatus
fit for the inhalation of a dangerous drug”. No other details were given.
Magistrate Peter Law asked the prosecutor if she was trying
to hide some information from the court for seeking a new adjournment until Feb
14 for the same “for further legal advice”, the same reason she gave for the adjournment
on Dec 15.
The prosecutor said investigators were still considering
what charge they would lay against Dabao based on the findings on her drug test.
She assured the judge she was giving the court true
information and that it would take one to two days to prepare the file and send
it to the Justice Department.
“But the file was sent to the DOJ on Jan 3, two weeks before
the application for adjournment. Why didn’t you tell the court on Dec 15?”
Magistrate Law asked.
He told the prosecutor to tell the police there would be no
application for adjournment until she gets a full picture of the investigation,
as the defendant has been in custody for some time.
“Tell the police if they don’t give the prosecution the
whole picture, it will be their fault,” Law said.
The judge allowed the adjournment this time, but shortened it
to two weeks until Jan 24.
He told Dabao to return to court then. In the meantime, he
ordered her remanded into custody.
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