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American serviceman wrongly accused of smuggling out cocaine

December 28, 2010, 7:40pm

MANILA, Philippines (PNA) — American serviceman Lt. Cmdr. Scintar B. Mejia should have been promoted to the rank of full commander in the Navy if he did not leap to his death at the stairway of the Police Center for Aviation Security office at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Monday.

Mejia on Sunday was wrongly accused of smuggling out a plastic sachet of cocaine, where he was apprehended and brought to the office of the Police Center for Aviation Security at the NAIA complex before he could board his Philippine Airlines flight to Los Angeles.

According to a report by PDEA Director III Wilkins M. Villanueva, dated December 27, which was only released Tuesday, citing the laboratory result prepared by PDEA’s chemist Maria Therese Anne L. Domingo that the substance in question turned out to have negative findings of dangerous drugs.

Earlier, reports said security personnel Jose Saul Villegas, not knowing that Mejia was a US Naval officer, sought police assistance after Mejia allegedly became hysterical and shouted invectives on him. Villegas told investigators that Mejia threw a plastic sachet that contained the suspected cocaine.

Villegas said in the report that he noticed “a white powdery substance inside the transparent plastic sachet thrown unto him earlier by the suspect which was suspected to be cocaine.”

The suspect was arrested by policemen SPO2 Roberto D. Figueras and SPO1 Mateo Aguilas for possible violation of RA 9165 and violation of Article 155 for Alarm and Scandal.

When he was in the custody of the aviation police, Mejia asked his escort cops if he could go to the comfort room but it was occupied.

He begged policemen SPO2 Figueras and SPO1 Aguilas to allow him to relieve himself outside the building which the two policemen granted.

When Mejia was already walking with the aviation police, he ran off towards the door of the building and jumped at the approximately ten-feet-high stairway hitting his head to the ground. He later died at the San Juan De Dios Hospital for head injuries.

US embassy officials through Joey McGee of the Police Protection Department were informed of the incident, while Pasay Police Office had been requested for an impartial investigation of the case.

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Comments

Tue, 01/04/2011 - 12:49 — hminus

I hope Mr Kim. that his doen't happen to anyone you know. That someone dies under the watch of the ASG everytime they detain somebody. I hope that if you are accused of anything and it meant your reputation and life at stake that you not react like he did. How competent the Phil. ASG in handling this matter?

Sun, 01/02/2011 - 18:23 — MR.KIM

easy lang guys! i want to know the truth also but i want to answer all my questions first before i blame anybody sana kayo rin.

1.is LCDR Mejia carrying a Diplomat passport? if so, then they know that he is VIP!
- if he has VIP passport maybe, only maybe its easier for him to bring the illegal drugs to Phil. (easy money - 25,000 Dollars?) no sweat!
2.why LCDR Mejia have 25,000 dollars in his pocket in brown envelope?
3.why did he assumed that, that is cocaine in that sachet from his bag?
4.why is he not calm if he is not guilty?
Quote from CABALEN's comment: "Furthermore, their officers undergo rigorous physical and academic training adapting to and overcoming stress."
5.why would he ask to go to the parking lot or other place to relieve him self?
6.what did he do in the Philippines for ONE day? nobody said anything about his business in the Philippines for one day??? maybe and only maybe just to deliver something to someone?
7.if the cops are crooked? what would they get by putting LCDR Mejia behind bars? or by killing him? ahhhh NOTHING!
8.why would they set up a LCDR of the U.S. NAVY? why? is there a reward for it?
9.or maybe ang nag set up sa kanya is yung ka deal nya sa drugs baka aksi umaayaw na sya mag deliver? pwede!
10.i had a feeling!!!!
alam natin lahat na madaling bayaran ang mga pulis sa pinas so, maybe nabayaran ang PDEA para palabasin na hindi cocaine ang white powder? malaking scandal kasi sa U.S. Navy yan. kasi lahat na ng barko ng U.S. Navy na pupunta sa pinas mapapag bintangan na may dalang coaine kaya pinalabas nila na hindi nga cocaine yon! pwede diba? bad image yon sa mga kano.
mas maraming tanong to LCDR Mejia than sa mga Police sa airport.
lets solve this case! lets put all the clues together and the truth shall set us free.....peace mga Bro!!!

Wed, 12/29/2010 - 21:16 — Cluebat

Smoothsilk

Committed suicide?

I can think of better ways to do that than jump 2 meters.

Face it, your crooked cops killed an american. When they eventually reasoned that they were not going to get their price they broke his neck and dumped him over the rail.

Call him FilAm if you like, but ask any american- when you become a citizen you are american. period.

Wed, 12/29/2010 - 14:10 — Cabalen

A United States Naval Officer of his rank makes the least $7000 a month. Furthermore, their officers undergo rigorous physical and academic training adapting to and overcoming stress. An officer is not stupid enough to bring drugs in his carry on in an international flight to the U.S. He would be definitely caught.
I am outraged and disturbed of this news because I know for a fact how airport authorities envy and hate English speaking FilAms. Most likely when these crooked cops found out he was a military man "bigatin ito, mahuli tayo" their extortion ring would crumble and he had to be killed.
In addition isnt this the second time a FilAm was claimed death by suicide at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport? Last time one was found hanging in his jail cell after arguing with NAIA cops about 8 yrs ago.
Im very disgusted that news agencies in the country are not giving much media hype knowing that this news could ruin the Philippine's image to the world. It already has since that crazy cop killed the Hong Kongers.

Wed, 12/29/2010 - 01:06 — smoothsilk123987

told ya so.... so i guess the navy officer committed no crime so there is absolutely no reason for him to commit suicide?? cmon we all know what happened here.

Tue, 12/28/2010 - 23:36 — romy sanque

I smell rotten fish on this case ,all you guys who are involve on this better prepare yourself.THIS CASE IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE FOR A LONG TTIME.AS AN AMERICAN WHO HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE PHILIPPINES FOR MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES IN THE 10 YEARS, i KNOW HOW THOSE PULIS CONO CARRY THIER DUTIES.aS AN EX-US MILITARYMAN THIS INCIDENT IS VERY DISTURBING.