By Benjamin Pulta 

MANILA – The Supreme Court affirmed the 2019 ruling of the Sandiganbayan that found a former regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) liable for grave threats on a subordinate eight years ago.

The SC First Division upheld the guilty verdict on Juvenal Azurin and sentenced him to two months and one day in prison, according to a 12-page decision written by Associate Justice Alfredo Caguioa and published online December 10.

A fellow PDEA employee, Jaime Clave, accused Azurin of berating him and threatening his life through a phone call on Nov. 15, 2013.

Three years after the incident, Clave said he regretted filing the case and submitted an affidavit of desistance and a motion to dismiss to the Sandiganbayan.

The SC, however, ruled that the felony of grave threat “is consummated as soon as the threats come to the knowledge of the person threatened”.

Azurin. director of the Regional Office No. 2 in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan at the time, accused Clave of sending text messages to PDEA higher-ups about the goings-on in the regional office and issues pertaining to operational funds.

Clave, an agent since 2007, stated in his administrative complaint before the Internal Affairs Services Office that he feared for his life when Azurin made the call. (PNA)