Another Tinga drug syndicate member gets life

Another member of the notorious Tinga drug syndicate has been sentenced to reclusion perpetua or imprisonment for at least 30 years.

In a 32-page court decision released on February 21, 2017, Judge Antonio Olivete of the Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 267 found Elisa “Ely” Tinga guilty beyond reasonable doubt for selling P5,000 worth of “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride).

Besides imprisonment, Tinga was also ordered by the court to pay a fine of P500,000. On a separate charge, the court also meted out a guilty verdict against Tinga for illegal possession of prohibited drugs and sentenced her to imprisonment between 10 to 15 years. Convicted with Tinga were her cohorts Andrea Escalante and Daniel Datinggaling.

The court ordered the immediate transfer of Tinga and Escalante from the Taguig City Jail – Female Dormitory to the custody of Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) located in Mandaluyong City while Datinggaling was ordered to be transported to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

The case against Tinga stemmed from a buy-bust operation conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), District Anti-Illegal Drugs – Southern Police District (DAID-SPD) and the Taguig City Police in July 2012 along Kalayaan Street in Brgy. Ususan, Taguig City.

During the entrapment operation, one of the undercover agents disguised as potential buyer of shabu handed Tinga P5,000 in exchange for a small plastic sachet containing white crystalline substance. She was arrested on the spot. Laboratory analysis revealed that the confiscated substance was shabu.

Elisa Tinga was the third most wanted person in the list of the illegal drug distributors in Taguig at the time of her arrest. She is the seventh member of the Tinga Drug Syndicate nabbed by the authorities since 1996. She is the wife of Noel Tinga who is reportedly the cousin of former Taguig City Mayor Freddie Tinga.

In September last year, Joel Tinga, another member of the Tinga Drug Syndicate, was also sentenced to reclusion perpetua for selling illegal drugs. There are still six other members of the syndicate, all bearing the surname Tinga, who are currently facing drug charges. ###

FILIPINO VERSION

Kulong na “for life:”

Hatol sa isa pa sa Tinga drug syndicate

PINATAWAN ng parusang reclusion perpetua o tatlumpung taong pagkakabilanggo ang isa na namang miyembro ng Tinga drug syndicate.

Sa 32-pahinang desisyon,  hinatulan ni Judge Antonio Olivete ng Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 267 si Elisa “Ely” Tinga na “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” dahil sa pagbebenta ng shabu na nagkakahalaga ng P5,000.

Kaugnay nito, pinagbabayad din ng korte si Tinga ng halagang P500,000. Nahatulan din siya ng “guilty verdict” sa isa pang kaso nito ukol sa illegal possession of prohibited drugs kung saan siya nasintensyahan ng pagkakakulong ng 10 hanggang 15 taon. Kasama rin ni Tinga sina Andrea Escalante at Daniel Datinggaling na matapos mahatulan ay agad ding inilipat sa Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) at sa New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

Nag-ugat ang kaso laban kay Tinga mula sa ginawang buy-bust operation ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), District Anti-Illegal Drugs – Southern Police District (DAID-SPD) at Taguig City Police noong July 2012 sa Kalayaan Street ng Brgy. Ususan, Taguig City. Nahuli sila sa aktong nagbebenta ng isang pakete ng hinihinalang shabu na napatunayang bawal na gamot matapos ang masusing imbestigasyon.

Mula pa noong 1996, si Elisa Tinga ang pang-pitong miyembro ng Tinga drug syndicate na nadakip ng awtoridad. Siya rin ang ikatlong most wanted person sa listahan ng illegal drug distributors sa buong Taguig at asawa ni Noel Tinga na di-umano ay pinsan ni dating Taguig City Mayor Freddie Tinga.

Nahatulan rin ng reclusion perpetua ang isa pang miyembro ng Tinga drug syndicate na si Joel Tinga noong Setyembre nang nakaraang taon matapos magbenta ng ipinagbabawal na gamot. Mayroon pang anim na miyembro ng sindikato na may apelyido ring Tinga ang nahaharap din sa kasong may kinalaman sa iligal na droga. ###

Note: Please see here court decision:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l6t1v644fw56sc9/court%20order%20Elisa%20Tinga%20et%20al.pdf?dl=0