Balitanghali video: HK court allows Rep. Singson to post HK $1.5-M bail

The Hong Kong court allowed Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson to post a bail of HK$1 million (about P5.7 million), reports PEP.ph. During his hearing today, August 19, Singson pleaded guilty to bringing 6.7 grams of cocaine to Hong Kong last month. According to the Hong Kong government laboratory, Singson brought 6.7 grams of pure cocaine and not 26.1 grams as initially thought, reports Balitanghali. This means that the drug trafficking charge against Singson may be reduced to drug possession.

Aside from the bail, the court also asked for a HK$500,000 (P2.8 million) surety bond from two Hong Kong businessmen who will take custody of Singson, according to ABS-CBNNews.com. The surety bond, according to PEP.ph, would be used to recover the losses of the Hong Kong court should Singson fail to do his court obligations. His arraignment is scheduled on September 7.

Upon hearing that Singson's bail petition was granted, Annie Shie--a friend of the beleaguered congressman's father Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson and one of those who will shoulder the bail money for Rep. Singson--failed to control her emotions and loudly shriked, "Yes!"

However, ABS-CBN reporter Henry Omaga-Diaz mistakenly thought that it was actress Lovi Poe (the younger Singson's rumored girlfriend) who had shrieked her approval. In fact, as the ABS-CBNNews.com explained, he had told DZMM: "Dito kasi, mahigpit sa korte. Kailangan tahimik lang, eh nangibabaw ang boses niya kaya napagalitan siya ng judge (Hong Kong courts are strict; the courtroom crowd must be silent. Lovi Poe's voice was clearly heard across the room so the judge reprimanded her)."

In any case, Poe, the daughter of the late action star and presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr., and the elder Singson were present at the hearing. The governor has previously told ABS-CBNNews.com that his son and Poe broke up on the night of Usher's concert in Manila on July 9. Despite being spotted with Singson at showbiz functions in the past, Poe has denied that she is or was Singson's girlfriend, according to ABS-CBNNews.com.

For more on this story, log on to PEP.ph and ABS-CBNNews.com.