Abalos says anti-drug cases dismissed by courts due to lack of evidence
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said ''many'' anti-illegal drugs cases filed by authorities were dismissed by courts due to lack of evidence.
"One of the thing that I notice in war against drugs are the dismissed cases, there are many of these. One of which is because of the Article 21 which states that when it comes to the operation all inventories of evidence shall be witnessed by three persons," he said.
"Mandatory number one is the barangay, any persons from the barangay and number two or three are anyone from the media or a representative from the Department of Justice (DOJ)," he added.
Abalos explained that sometimes it is hard to look for the members of the media or representatives from the DOJ that can join night operations.
"It's proof beyond reasonable doubt. That is the evidence that we need to stand in court. If there is a slight doubt, it will be dismissed. We all know that," he said.
Because of this, Abalos emphasized the need for "quality cases "not the quantity".
"What we need here are quality cases. It is important that all the evidence will really stand up in court. Not the quantity, it should not like there are many cases but all were dismissed," he said.
To address the problem, Abalos said he will request to all mayors and governors in the country to practice what his wife does in Mandaluyong.
Mayor Menchie Abalos coordinates with the fiscal and the prosecutor and hires an employee assigned at the DOJ to join the police operations and to stand as witness in court, he said.
"Almost all of our cases don't have problems. There was no dismissal, no technicality and these are the kinds of practices that we will do and what I am going to ask to the governors and mayors in the entire Philippines," he said. Robina Asido/DMS
