Manila: A Manila regional trial court (RTC) has sentenced businessman Mark Taguba along with Eirene Mae Tatad and Dong Yi Shen (alias Kenneth Dong) to life imprisonment for their roles in the importation of 600 kilograms of shabu, a methamphetamine, valued at PHP 6.4 billion. The illegal shipment originated from China in 2017. According to Philippines News Agency, the Manila RTC Branch 46, in its 37-page decision dated November 18, found Taguba, Tatad, and Dong guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. In addition to life imprisonment, each of the three convicts was ordered to pay a fine of PHP 500,000. The court's decision emphasized that every criminal conviction should be based on proof beyond reasonable doubt. "In this case, the prosecution was able to discharge its burden of proving the guilty of accused Taguba, Tatad, and Dong beyond reasonable doubt," the decision stated. Meanwhile, cases against their co-accu sed, including Chen Julong (alias Richard Tan or Richard Chen), Li Guang Feng (alias Manny Li), Teejay Marcellana, Chen I-Min, Jhu Ming Jyun, and Chen Rong Huan, have been ordered archived, pending their arrest. The shabu shipment arrived at the Manila International Container Port on May 16, 2017, and was subsequently transported on May 24, 2017, to a warehouse of Hongfei logistics in Valenzuela City. The shipment was initially flagged by the Anti-Smuggling Bureau of China Customs and tipped off to the Philippines' Bureau of Customs (BOC), leading to a controlled delivery operation that uncovered the illegal drugs on May 26, 2017. Tatad was identified as the owner of EMT Trading, the consignee of the shipment. During the trial, Taguba admitted to processing and facilitating the container van's entry through the BOC. The court highlighted Taguba's central role, stating that he used his logistics company, Golden Logistics, Inc., to arrange for the transport of the container, thus actively participating in the conspiracy. The court also determined that Tatad's role as consignee implicated her in the conspiracy, as she facilitated the entry of the illegal drugs. Furthermore, the court dismissed Dong's claim that he only acted as a consultant to receive the list of goods from accused Li, as well as Tatad's defense that she merely allowed her company to be used as a consignee for a fee. These defenses, the court noted, were insufficient against the prosecution's evidence. In a related ruling last September, the Manila RTC-Branch 46 found Taguba, Tatad, Dong, and warehouseman Fidel Dee guilty of violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act concerning the same shabu shipment. They were sentenced to up to 40 years and required to pay fines totaling PHP 150 million.