THIRTY-SIX law enforcers from the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) completed the two-day seminar workshop on capability building that focuses on the legal perspective on the conduct of the narcotic operations.
According to the press statement from the Davao Regional Prosecution Office (RPO), the participants were given updates on the law on arrest, search and seizure, and inquest proceedings including the proper filing of charges before the prosecution.
The seminar, which was held at IGB Samal Island Function House in Barangay Catagman, was spearheaded by the Department of Justice (DOJ), National Prosecution Service (NPS)-Davao in partnership with the Local Government of (Igacos).
The resource speakers for the event were prosecutors coming from the different prosecution offices in the region led by Regional Prosecutor Janet Grace Dalisay-Fabrero, Tagum City Prosecutor Noel Palma and Igacos Prosecutor Joseph Apao.
In a statement furnished to SunStar Davao, Fabrero said the participants highly appreciated the workshop.
She also said that they have instilled among the participants the measure of accomplishment that they should consider.
“As pillars of the criminal justice system, accomplishment does not end upon the apprehension of the offenders but success is measured when a conviction from the court of justice is obtained. There is a need to show deterrence. Hence, law offenders must not only be jailed but must also be punished,” Fabrero said.
Fabrero added that the workshop is intended to strengthen the partnership of the law enforcers and the prosecutors in the anti-narcotic operations.
Fabrero also said the seminar-workshop was designed to urgently address the identified problems for acquittal and dismissal of drug cases in court and also to enhance the capability of law enforcers in handling evidences or chain of custody, preparation of judicial affidavits and to be credible and effective witnesses in court.
The participants also engaged in a mock trial which give them an idea on how to become witnesses in court during the later part of the activity.
A similar seminar-workshop was also conducted last September 1 and 2 in Mati City, Davao Oriental which was organized by the same government agencies in collaboration with the Local Government of Davao Oriental and the Philippine National Police.
These series of seminar-workshop is in line with the government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs in the country.