LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Philippine National Police here is seeking for reconsideration of the policy that the police cannot conduct an operation against illegal drugs unless in coordination, in the company of Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency(PDEA) operatives, or with clearance from the PDEA office.
Cordillera Police Regional Director PSCSupt. Eugene Martin said this policy is affecting the performance of the police officers in the field in the fight against illegal drugs. Considering the geographic situation of the Cordillera, he explained that by the time the police can coordinate with PDEA, the suspects with their marijuana and other illegal drugs would have been gone. He also cited the limited number of PDEA operatives in the region.
Republic Act No. 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002 has also vested the PDEA the full authority to conduct buy bust and raids.
Martin presented this concern to Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commissioner Dante La. Jimenez, Vice Chairman for the Private Sector, during his recent consultations with law enforcers, representatives from the academe, religious, non-government organizations, government and tri-media.
The Cordillera was the 14th region visited by Jimenez to get the concerns of the people, law enforcers in policies affecting organized/syndicated crimes.
Jimenez said he will include this concern in his report to the President saying this should be taken seriously considering that illegal drugs remain a problem in the country.
Aside from drug trafficking, other organized/syndicated crimes covered by PAOCC are gun running, illegal logging, robbery hold up, kidnapping for ransom, white slavery, illegal recruitment, carnapping, smuggling, large scale swindling, piracy, falsification of land titles/government form and counterfeiting and bank fraud. It also covers heinous crimes under Republic Act 7659.
Another policy concern presented to Jimenez is the need or presence of an aggrieved party before surveillance or apprehension can be done in illegal recruitment. Philippine Overseas Employment Agency Cordillera head Delfina Camarillo is batting for the removal of the presence of aggrieved party proposing that anyone with personal knowledge about an illegal recruitment activity of a person would suffice to effect apprehension.
Meanwhile, instigated by the POACC definition of organized /syndicated crime group as “a group of two or more persons collaborating, confederating or mutually helping one another in the commission of any crime and sometimes enjoying the protection of people in the government and public service”, a military officer proposed for the inclusion of the New Peoples Army as a syndicated crime group.
According to the peace and order situation briefing of the PRO-COR, there are four organized crime groups in the region. These are the Acetylene Bolt Cutting Gang engaged in robbery, the Nider Group involved in illegal drug sale and drug trafficking, the Solid Ifugao Group and the Loloy Group which are into highway robbery.
The criminal justice system has a lot of loopholes, Jimenez said and the consultations the PAOCC is doing around the regions with every sector concerned is to get their concerns for policy-making and to enhance coordination between and among agencies involved in the fight against criminality.
This is also in line with the government’s commitment that peace and security must be maintained at all times to ensure the continuity of progress and development of the country. ** JPilotin/PIA
