HONG KONG – (UPDATE 4) The court should impose a lower sentence on Congressman Ronald Singson who has been charged with possession of illegal drugs and be allowed to go back to the Philippines, his lawyer said Wednesday.
At the resumption of the hearing before Judge Joseph Yau of the Wan Chai District Court No. 4, John Reading, who is pushing for a reduction on the two-year jail term that his client is facing, cited the mitigating factors that should influence the court to impose the lesser penalty for Singson such as:
• pleading guilty to drug trafficking and public expression of remorse;
• Undergoing rehabilitation;
• Prospects of expulsion from the Philippine Congress; and
• Wide media coverage of the case in the Philippines.
Reading said his plea for considerable reduction in sentence was based on evidence of his client’s good character and statement that he has no intention to commit the same crime again here.
Reading also said the aggravating importance of the case should be cancelled out by the mitigating factors.
Reading also pointed out that Singson’s parents – former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson and ex-wife Evelyn – his six siblings and daughter Samantha were in court.
The lawmaker’s mother was a portrait of grief, with hands clasped together and eyes closed most of the time as if in prayer. His siblings also looked sad as they sat quietly while his father listened attentively to the proceedings.
Judge Yau admonished prosecutor Virginia Lau of the Department of Justice-HK for questioning policy on charging persons in the airport as contained in his ruling on the facts of the case instead of rebutting the arguments of the defense on mitigating factors.
Judge Yau adjourned the hearing and set sentencing tomorrow, Thursday, at 2:30 p.m.
Earlier in the day, Yau agreed that the drugs Singson brought here last year were for his own personal consumption.
Noting that the Filipino lawmaker was cocaine dependent at the time of his arrest, the judge pointed out that the quantity of the drugs Singson smuggled into Hong Kong last year was too small for commercial use.
The judge said he was simply ruling on the facts of the case and called for a 30-minute break before hearing arguments by both the defense and prosecution regarding mitigation circumstances.
Singson pleaded guilty last month to a charge of trafficking but pleaded that the drugs he brought in were for his own personal use and not for sale.
Singson himself appeared to be in a pensive mood during the hearing, closing his eyes most of the time as if in prayer.
Before the start of Wednesday’s proceedings, Ronald Singson said, "I’m very, very nervous but I’m prepared for any eventuality."
Singson said he and his father talked Tuesday night and decided that he wait for the court’s final ruling before announcing his decision to resign from Congress.
Singson also apologized to his countrymen for bringing them shame for what he did.
He said he was still hoping for a favorable decision.
Singson could face up to three and a half years in jail.
Hong Kong laws permit a reduction in jail sentences if one pleads guilty.
Singson was caught carrying 0.24 ounces (6.67 grams) of cocaine at the southern Chinese city’s international airport in July.
Reading had argued that the cocaine was for personal consumption, citing testimony that his client was a heavy drug user and no packaging material was found when the drugs were seized.
At the resumption of the hearing before Judge Joseph Yau of the Wan Chai District Court No. 4, John Reading, who is pushing for a reduction on the two-year jail term that his client is facing, cited the mitigating factors that should influence the court to impose the lesser penalty for Singson such as:
• pleading guilty to drug trafficking and public expression of remorse;
• Undergoing rehabilitation;
• Prospects of expulsion from the Philippine Congress; and
• Wide media coverage of the case in the Philippines.
Reading said his plea for considerable reduction in sentence was based on evidence of his client’s good character and statement that he has no intention to commit the same crime again here.
Reading also said the aggravating importance of the case should be cancelled out by the mitigating factors.
Reading also pointed out that Singson’s parents – former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson and ex-wife Evelyn – his six siblings and daughter Samantha were in court.
The lawmaker’s mother was a portrait of grief, with hands clasped together and eyes closed most of the time as if in prayer. His siblings also looked sad as they sat quietly while his father listened attentively to the proceedings.
Judge Yau admonished prosecutor Virginia Lau of the Department of Justice-HK for questioning policy on charging persons in the airport as contained in his ruling on the facts of the case instead of rebutting the arguments of the defense on mitigating factors.
Judge Yau adjourned the hearing and set sentencing tomorrow, Thursday, at 2:30 p.m.
Earlier in the day, Yau agreed that the drugs Singson brought here last year were for his own personal consumption.
Noting that the Filipino lawmaker was cocaine dependent at the time of his arrest, the judge pointed out that the quantity of the drugs Singson smuggled into Hong Kong last year was too small for commercial use.
The judge said he was simply ruling on the facts of the case and called for a 30-minute break before hearing arguments by both the defense and prosecution regarding mitigation circumstances.
Singson pleaded guilty last month to a charge of trafficking but pleaded that the drugs he brought in were for his own personal use and not for sale.
Singson himself appeared to be in a pensive mood during the hearing, closing his eyes most of the time as if in prayer.
Before the start of Wednesday’s proceedings, Ronald Singson said, "I’m very, very nervous but I’m prepared for any eventuality."
Singson said he and his father talked Tuesday night and decided that he wait for the court’s final ruling before announcing his decision to resign from Congress.
Singson also apologized to his countrymen for bringing them shame for what he did.
He said he was still hoping for a favorable decision.
Singson could face up to three and a half years in jail.
Hong Kong laws permit a reduction in jail sentences if one pleads guilty.
Singson was caught carrying 0.24 ounces (6.67 grams) of cocaine at the southern Chinese city’s international airport in July.
Reading had argued that the cocaine was for personal consumption, citing testimony that his client was a heavy drug user and no packaging material was found when the drugs were seized.
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