Pubdate: Thu, 03 Jul 2003
Source: Sun.Star Baguio (Philippines)
Copyright: 2003, Sunstar
Contact:  http://www.sunstar.com.ph/affiliate.php3?locid=2
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1942
Author: May Anne Cacdac
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines (Philippines)

PROBE SOUGHT ON DISMISSAL OF DRUG CASES IN BAGUIO

BAGUIO City police chief Francisco Manalo Jr. has informed Mayor Bernardo 
Vergara that he has forwarded a request to the Department of Justice (DOJ) 
to look into the "unreasonable dismissal of drug cases" in the city.

"We want to be clarified on the outright dismissal of these cases in the 
prosecutor's level," Manalo told Vergara Monday, adding that City 
Prosecutor Benny Carantes was already furnished a copy of the letter.

He pointed out that the cases in question were presented with very strong 
evidences.

Vergara, in turn, told Manalo and Carantes to hold a separate meeting with 
regards the matter.

This developed even as Interior Secretary Jose Lina Jr., who also chairs 
the Dangerous Drugs Board, warned prosecutors, officers and personnel of 
the police force, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and other law 
enforcement agencies that "administrative and criminal charges shall be 
filed against them should they bungle the prosecution of drug cases."

Under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, 
"prosecutors, police officers and personnel who through patent laxity, 
inexcusable neglect, unreasonable delay or deliberately cause the 
unsuccessful prosecution and/or dismissal of drug cases may be imprisoned 
for 12 years and one day to 20 years."

Lina stressed that incompetence of these law enforcers will not go 
unpunished. "We shall hold them liable should their inaction result in the 
dismissal of drug cases and the acquittal of the accused in said cases."

It is imperative that prosecutors and police officers to attend court 
hearings until their termination to ensure that evidences are secured and 
the complaints properly and timely filed without delay, he added. "This is 
to ensure also the successful prosecution of the case as well as the 
conviction of the accused."

Earlier, the DILG has also scheduled a seminar for prosecutors, judges and 
officers as well as members of law enforcement community to appraise them 
of the salient provisions of RA 9165. The seminar is part of the 
government's over-all efforts to combat illegal drugs in the country.

Lina said the seminar would provide the participants with a better 
understanding and appreciation of the new anti-drugs law, which, in turn, 
would boost the government's determined campaign against the drug menace.

"With the members of our criminal justice system well-informed and truly 
appreciative of the new law, we are highly optimistic that the government's 
crusade against illegal drugs would succeed," he stressed. "We don't want 
these drug traffickers and peddlers to go scot-free and escape conviction 
through technicality due to the sloppy work of our lawmen and prosecutors, 
hence, this seminar is very timely as it would appraise them of the salient 
provisions of RA 9165 as well as clarify their respective role in the 
government's campaign against illegal drugs."-with reports from the dilg 
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