DOJ to release review of anti-drug cases if okayed by Duterte
The Department of Justice (DOJ) will release the results of its review of anti-drug operations by police if they were allowed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
During the ''Laging Handa'' public briefing, Justice Undersecretary Adrian Sugay said the report about the result of their review on the 300 cases had been submitted to the Office of the President.
"The first (cases) we first reviewed, we made a report on that and we submitted it directly to the Office of the President. It is up to them when they will release that," he said.
Sugay was referring to the 300 cases of anti-drug operations that resulted in deaths of suspects, which the DOJ reviewed ahead of the 52 other cases it DOJ has recently released to the public.
Sugay said the release of the DOJ's review on the 52 drug war cases was also based on the directive from the Office of the President.
At least 5,000 suspects were reported killed during the war on illegal drugs.
"We leave it up to them, like what happened on this information table (for 52 drug war cases). There is a directive from the Office of the President to release this. So if we also receive a directive to release this first report, then we will release it," he said.
However, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque in his briefing explained that the report on the cases cannot be released because these are "live cases" subject to investigation.
"Well, there is a synopsis released by the DOJ. The reason why the result of the investigation report was not able to be released verbatim is these are now live cases subject to police investigation by the NBI and constitute an exception to freedom of information, because these are live criminal investigations," he said. Robina Asido/DMS
