Court orders release of Chinese convictMANILA, Philippines — The Court of Appeals has ordered the release of a Chinese national found guilty of possession and sale of over 90 kilos of shabu in 2024, as the CA pointed out deficiencies in the handling of drug evidence. Court records show that Xu sold P230,000 worth of shabu during a sting launched by the Philippine Drug Enforce ment Agency (PDEA) at his residence in July 2021. However, the appellate court said “the prosecution failed to establish an unbroken chain of custody of the seized dangerous drugs,” noting the lack of information on the handling of the evi dence by a PDEA forensic chemist and its supposed turnover to the local court. The CA added that the identity of the evidence custodian was not revealed. CA Presiding Justice Fernanda Lam pas Peralta, who also chairs the First Division, and Associate Justice Perpetua Susana Atal-Paño concurred.

Source: Philippine Star March 07, 2026 16:03 UTC