A Negros Oriental Regional Trial Court has convicted another resident for pushing, or violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Michael Maata was sentenced to six years to 12 years imprisonment by Judge Ramon Bato Jr. of RTC Branch 30 after being found guilty of violating section 11, article III of Republic Act 9165.

Maata was apprehended by lawmen who found 0.33 grams of shabu on him in a buy-bust operation on Dec. 18, 2002 in Sibulan, Negros Oriental.

Meanwhile, RTC branch 30 has disposed of 58 drug cases from January to June this year.

Of the total, 25 drug pushers have been convicted, eight were acquitted, while nine cases were dismissed and eight cases were transferred to other courts. Six suspects are still at large.

There are 223 cases still pending in the court.

A Negros Oriental RTC also dismissed a libel case against a resident of Basay, Negros Oriental, for lack of evidence.

Cleared of the offense by Judge Fe Lualhati Bustamante of RTC branch 33 was Susan Masayon.

The complainants were Maluo Toledo, Emily Gaga-a, and Myrna Lara, all public school teachers of Basay Central School.

The case stemmed from a letter written by Masayon to Education secretary Raul Roco denouncing the teachers for reporting late to their respective classes and using teaching methods not appropriate for grade four pupils.

The letter, dated Oct. 15, 2001, was circulated and distributed in different stores in Basay and to the parents of the grade four pupils enrolled in the school.

Bustamante, in her decision, said she dismissed the case because the prosecution failed to establish the guilt of Masayon.*NV

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