Regional Director of Parole and Probation Administration (PPA) Benjamin Cutay Jr. claimed they lack personnel to accommodate all the pending probation and parole cases.
“Meron lang kaming 60 personnel across Region 11 (Davao Region), parang isang unit lang yon or division lang yon ng PNP (Philippine National Police), ilan ang investigators dito, only 38 people are doing investigation against the 6,170 cases, kaya ang daming kaso kesa nagtatrabaho (We only have 60 personnel across Davao Region, it's like a single unit or division of PNP, and only 38 people are investigators who are doing the investigation of 6,170. Hence, we have more cases than those who are working on it),” Cutay said in a press conference of Kapehan sa Dabaw on July 4, 2022.
Cutay said one of the reasons why they have limited personnel is due to the qualifications they have set.
“Ang amoang examination, kung ‘dunay baynte nga mo-take, sa lima ka position ang mopasa kay unom o pito lang bagsak sila tanan, ing-ana ka lisod... at marami s’yang elimination round, hindi lang isa, dalawa o tatlo, madami siya bago ilabas ‘yong appointment (If there are 20 people who will take the examination only six or seven who will pass; the rest will fail for the five positions open. There are a lot elimination rounds not only one, two or three, before you’ll get the appointment” Cutay said, which he also added he wanted it to be amended.
According to Presidential Decree No. 968 on July 24, 1976, the qualifications of Regional, Assistant Regional, Provincial, and City Probation Officers should have possessed at least a bachelor's degree with a major in social work, sociology, psychology, criminology, penology, corrections, police science, administration, or related fields and has at least three years of experience in work requiring any of the abovementioned disciplines, or is a member of the Philippine Bar with at least three years of supervisory experience.
Cutay said one investigator should handle at least 20 to 25 cases in a month, if more than that they will be having a hard time.
“Kasi hindi lang siya imbestigador, meron rin pa s’yang supervision, and 65 percent of the cases that are placed on probation are drug-related, and they are high-risk (because they are not only investigators, they also supervise)” Cutay said.
Ideally, Cutay said there should be at least 80 to 100 investigators to cater to the 6,000 cases they received. KSD