THE Municipal Anti-Drug Abuse Council sub-committee on Community-Based Rehabilitation Program (Madac-CBDRP), led by Guagua Mayor Dante Torres, facilitated the creation of a template to serve as a guide in catering to court orders for illegal-drug personalities who have applied for plea-bargaining agreements.
The program guide involves a multi-agency system to comply with the court’s order of administering aftercare activities by the Municipal Government.
The template includes community service (linis-ilog activity), health assessment (with random drug-testing), moral and spiritual counseling, family strengthening and community reintegration interventions, barangay Adac reporting, and police monitoring.
The template was the result of meetings led by Torres, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer Marybeth Ortiz, Local Government Operations Officer Marites Miranda, Police Master Sergeant Jonathan P. Aguilon, and Pastor Rogelio Bernabe of an interfaith-based group.
Participating in the meeting were representatives from the Municipal Health Office, Liga ng mga Barangay, barangay kagawads, and individuals with plea bargaining deals.
Under the Supreme Court plea bargaining framework, those caught with possession of 4.99 grams of shabu, opium, morphine, heroin and cocaine, and up to 299.99 grams of marijuana will be allowed to plead guilty to a lesser offense of possession, and those selling or up to 0.99 grams of shabu and up to 9.99 grams of marijuana will also be allowed to enter into a plea bargain deal.
What was ordinarily punished by lifetime imprisonment will be penalized under the plea bargain agreement by only six months to four years in prison.
The new ruling has brought relief to many citizens detained with illegal drug-related cases.
Since June 2018, the municipality has been receiving clients endorsed by the municipal trial court. Attached to the court’s order is the requirement that the concerned person should undergo community-based aftercare program from the barangay and the local government unit.
Because of varying content or requirements, the Guagua Madac had thought of a wholesome guideline of activities that would satisfy the courts order, thus the crafting of the system.
Ortiz said the guide is innovatively unique and will be considered one of the best practices in terms of community-based aftercare program.