Makati court dismisses drug raps vs. rapper Loonie, others

A Makati City court has junked the drug charges against rapper Loonie, his sister-manager Idyll, and their staff due to the police’s failure to comply with the chain of custody rule.

In an order issued on Tuesday, Judge Gina Bibat-Palamos of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 64 granted the rapper’s camp plea to dismiss the case based on insufficient evidence.

Loonie, whose real name is Marlon Peroramas, was arrested along with his sister and three other people in a buy-bust operation at a hotel in Makati in September 2019.

Authorities seized 15 sachets of kush or high-grade marijuana hidden in a box that was made to look like a gift. Loonie denied the charges.

In her ruling, Palamos found there was no evidence presented or there was even no attempt to justify the absence of an elected public official or a representative from the Department of Justice during the buy-bust operation.

She said the “unjustified deviation” from the chain of custody rule warranted the dismissal of the case.

Loonie and his sister are currently consulting their lawyers regarding the possibility of filing counter charges against individuals who allegedly planted evidence during the police operation, according to the rapper’s statement that was posted on his social media pages.

"We offer this victory to God and to everyone who's been supporting us through and through," he said. —LDF, GMA News