A Hong Kong court yesterday granted bail to a Philippine legislator and son of a prominent politician after he spent more than a month in police custody on drug charges.
Hong Kong airport authorities arrested Ronald Singson, 41, on July 11 on suspicion of trafficking in cocaine after a flight from Manila.
Singson is the son of Luis “Chavit” Singson, a provincial governor whose testimony in the corruption trial of his one-time friend, former Philippine president Joseph Estrada, helped convict the ousted leader in 2007 and send him to prison. Estrada was later pardoned.
The drug case has generated publicity in the Philippines, where powerful lawmakers sometimes run afoul of the law. One legislator has been convicted of raping a minor and another is facing charges of killing his wife.
Singson’s father, who attended yesterday’s hearing, told ABS-CBN television in Manila that he suspected his son was set up because of “politics and business.” He did not elaborate and said the bail would be split by two Hong Kong “business friends” he did not identify.
Bail was set at HK$1 million (US$130,000) in cash, on condition that Singson report daily to a police station. His passport and other travel documents were to be surrendered.
The next hearing was set for Sept. 7 at a district court.
Singson’s father said his son was traveling with two companions who also were found carrying the drugs but were supposedly immediately released.
Singson was initially charged with trafficking 26.1g of cocaine, but the amount was reduced to 6.67g after a routine analysis by government chemists, the Tseun Wan Magistrates’ Court No. 1 heard. Two tablets of diazepam, the generic form of Valium, were also allegedly found on him.
In Hong Kong, trafficking in a dangerous drug carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of HK$5 million. It was unclear if the reduced amount of cocaine would result in a less severe charge. Singson’s lawyer, John Reading, declined to comment at the court house.
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