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The regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) has assured that steps are being taken to ensure more drug cases will prosper in court.
Randy Pedroso said there were procedures that were corrected following the dismissal of 81 of the 83 drug cases that were filed in Cebu courts since March 2009.
Judge Macaundas Hadjirasul of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 8 earlier said the low conviction rate was attributed to the law enforcers? lack of training, mishandling of evidence and inefficient police laboratories.
Hadjirasul said most drugs cases end up in acquittals of the accused due to law enforcers' failure to comply with Section 21 of Republic Act 9165 or the ?Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.?
Supt. Paul Labra II, deputy city director for operation of the Cebu City police, said the Sec. 21 of the RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002 which requires presence of media, barangay officials and representative of the Department of Justice (DOJ) during the inventory right after the operation are not strictly being followed that led to the dismissal of drug cases.
Labra said police are having a hard time following the provision since drug operations are mostly being made late in the evening and early in the day where no media or barangay representatives are available.
Labra said he is in favor of amending the provision.
Pedrosa said the PDEA-7 now strictly observes and follows rules and procedures in handling evidences in the new cases.
Pedroso said that to strengthen their case, PDEA-7 would ask lawyers to review the affidavits of the arresting officers.
Pedroso said PDEA agents were made to undergo a series of trainings conducted by prosecutors, judges and lawyers from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
Senior Supt. Erson Digal, chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, said they would request the IBP to conduct seminar to help police in the conduct of drug operations.
