Tuesday, July 31, 2007 Judges ‘reluctant’ to convict due to threats: official
THE Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 will orient judges and prosecutors next month on basic security tips.
This was after Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Joselito Ruiz paid a visit to PRO 7 yesterday morning and said some judges have been reluctant to convict those found guilty of committing drug-related felonies because of threats.
“Daghang huwes ang under threat. Dili lang sila magsaba-saba (Many judges are under threat but they would rather keep mum about it),” Ruiz told reporters after meeting with PRO 7 Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. and his staff officers.
Ruiz and Alarcio agreed to hold an orientation at the Cebu International Convention Center on Aug. 17.
This stemmed from the killing of a judge in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.
Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Orlando Velasco died of multiple gunshot wounds last Friday.
Unidentified gunmen shot Velasco in his home in Barangay Villareal last Wednesday after he alighted from a motorcycle.
At stake
He was the only RTC judge in Bayawan City, and decided on heinous crimes cases.
Ruiz said they do not want judges to be reluctant to convict drug suspects because they feel their lives are at stake.
Alarcio, for his part, said they do not want something similar to the Bayawan incident to happen in the region, which is why he proposed that the orientation be a region-wide event.
He added that if any of them feel they are under threat and need to carry firearms, his office is willing to help them get a permit.
For those who are under graver threats, Alarcio said they can also provide them with security details.
PDEA guidelines
Meanwhile, Alarcio admitted that the new interim guidelines of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 might affect their campaign against illegal drugs.
Under the new guidelines, they need a PDEA 7 agent present to conduct an anti-drug operation.
With the PDEA 7 having only three organic personnel, police are worried that they will not be able to conduct as many drug operations as they want.
“It might affect the campaign but we will do our best to fill up the vacuum,” Alarcio told reporters.
Lawyer Clarence Paul Oaminal, who was present at the meeting, also assured Alarcio he was planning to meet with PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago to explain to him that the guidelines are detrimental to the anti-drug operations.
“PDEA 7 should be humble enough to admit they do not have the resources,” he said. (MEA)
