PRO6 ranks 2nd in drive vs. illegal drugs
The Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Office 6 ranked second among the 16 police regional offices in the country in the conduct of saturation drive operations against illegal drugs in 2009.
Dangerous Drug Board Vice-Chair Paul Oaminal revealed in a press release sent to the Philippine Information Agency that based on the PNP Operational Accomplishment Report for the period January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009, Western Visayas placed second nationwide among the 16 police regional offices.
The report showed that PRO 6 conducted 74 buy-bust operations and implemented 90 search warrants which resulted to the arrest of 292 pushers/users and the filing of 187 drug cases.
The arrests in the region contributed to the 7,503 pushers/users arrested and 5,372 cases filed nationwide last year.
Usec Oaminal believes that the leadership of P/CSupt Isagani Cuevas plays an important role in the accomplishment of the police in the region.
“The challenge now is converting the arrest to conviction. But with the present judicial structure we could never achieve speedy adjudication of drug cases,” said Oaminal.
Presently, DDB records indicated that 70 percent of drug cases are pending before the Regional Trial Courts and even those filed before the new law took effect last 2002 are still pending.
Oaminal said together with former DDB Chairman Vicente Sotto the Board is pushing for the creation of a special drug court that would prevent lawyers from delaying the case as appeal would be made directly to the Supreme Court.
Former Senator Sotto has likewise, envisioned the creation of a Special Drug Penitentiary exclusively for drug pushers and manufacturers, a structure proof from mobile phone communications. (PIA)
