Conviction of 92 drug cases posted in N. Mindanao

THE government prosecutors in Northern Mindanao reported the conviction of 92 drug cases from January to September 30, 2012, a top official said.

Regional State Prosecutor Jaime Umpa said the regional conviction rate for drug cases from 2006 to 2011 is at 29.54 percent with 473 convictions, 413 dismissals, 470 acquittals and 245 archived.

Umpa said the conviction for drug cases in the region for this year is pegged at 34.7 percent. The highest conviction rate was last year at 41.11 percent, while the lowest was in 2009 at just 14.36 percent.

The latest conviction of drug case was Sammy Yusop, involving a P20 million worth of shabu last year. Yusop was convicted after three months of trial handled by City Prosecutor Fidel Macauyag.

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima lauded the Regional Prosecutor’s Office, particularly the Office of the City Prosecutor-Cagayan de Oro, for the speedy trial that lead to Yusop’s conviction.

De Lima was in Cagayan de Oro Wednesday to grace the Prosecutor's Assessment Report, which was attended by at least 60 prosecutors from six regions of Mindanao.

“The conviction rate is good. Keep it up,” she said.

However, De Lima said she was quite disappointed over the number of pending cases, particularly at the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor-Misamis Oriental.

She questioned Prosecutor Alma Sumalpong, acting provincial prosecutor, of unresolved pending cases. Misamis Oriental has total pending cases of 266 of which 102 cases are pending for 121 days to one year while the 12 cases have been pending for more than one year.

Both OCP-Cagayan de Oro and OPP-Misamis Oriental have the highest total number of pending cases under four categories such as pending for 60 days and below; 61 to 120 days, 121 days to one year and more than one year.

As of December 31, 2011, OCP-Cagayan de Oro has total pending cases of 1,351, 337 of which are pending for 60 days and below, 357 for 61 to 120 days; 537 cases pending for up to one year and 120 cases for more than one year. (Abigail Chee Kee Malalis)