PNP chief orders accounting of all dismissed drug cases

ni: NONETTE N. CASTILLO

CALOOCAN CITY, (PIA) -- Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Police General Guillermo Lorenzo T Eleazar ordered the accounting of all dismissed drug cases since 2016, when the government launched the war on drugs as part of PNP's Intensified Cleanliness Policy.

“Having data and information on these dismissed drug cases since the war on drugs started in 2016 would truly help the PNP leadership determine the interventions needed so that the junking by the courts of drug cases filed by the police would be avoided in the future,” Eleazar said.

According to Eleazar the PNP is aiming to improve the conviction rate, particularly in drug-related cases, noting that a higher conviction rate would reflect the success of the campaign against illegal drugs.

“Kailangang masiguro na malakas ang mga kaso na ating isinasampa laban sa mga nahuhuli nating sangkot sa iligal na droga kaya’t nararapat na matukoy natin ilan at ano ba ang nagiging dahilan bakit na-dismiss ng korte ang ilan sa ating mga kaso,” he said.

The PNP chief said from a review of these dismissed cases, adjustments and improvements would be made on how police anti-illegal drug operations are conducted.

Since the war on drugs started in July, 2016, more arrests of drug offenders have been recorded. Government data shows that in 200,632 anti-illegal drug operations, a total of 289,622 drug suspects were arrested.

“The conviction of all these arrested drug suspects would prove we are winning the war on drugs and that it has been effectively curbing the further proliferation of illegal drugs in the country,” Eleazar said.

Aside from seeking to raise the conviction rate in drug cases, the PNP also wants to identify police personnel who caused the dismissal by committing irregularities in the conduct of anti-illegal drugs operations and weakening the prosecution’s evidence.

PGen Eleazar pointed out that the possibility of some policemen deliberately causing the dismissal of the drug case, being in cahoots with the accused, would also be determined in the review of the dismissed drug cases.

“Kung magkakaroon po tayo ng mahusay na accounting ng mga dismissed na kaso, mati-trace natin kung sino ba sa ating mga personnel ang sangkot sa katiwalian,” he said. (PNP/PIA-NCR)