Mayor Chan wants tighter plea bargaining process for inmates

CEBU, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan recently met with the city’s judges and prosecutors to discuss the implications of the process of plea bargaining for offenders.

“Kasagaran sa mga crimes nga nahitabo dinhi sa atoang syudad kay naay kalambigitan sa ginadiling drogas, ug kasagaran sa panghitabo ang naghimo sa maong salaod ang mga gikan sa naka-gawas nga ni-avail sa plea bargaining,” the mayor told reporters in a press conference.

Plea bargaining is a process where the accused and the prosecution negotiate for a lesser penalty or for a lesser offense in exchange for a guilty plea, subject to court approval.

The mayor said last year, 1,000 city jail inmates availed of plea bargaining and were released.

He added that, as per records, there is now a pending 1,000 applications for plea bargaining this year.

Chan said that it appears that it becomes easy for arrested drug offenders to get out of jail by availing of the process of plea bargaining and commit the same offense again when out of jail.

Investigators also learned that the gunman and the get-away driver involved in the killing of Executive Assistant for Market Operation Christopher Ceniza in the city on January 2, 2024 were newly released prisoners, who were allegedly involved on illegal drugs.

“So, mao nang atong ipaabot ngadto sa mga judges, fiscals, how we can help. Magtinabangay ta, kay kita may nakakita sa situation sa syudad, nga dili mosaka ang krimen, dili mosaka ang pagbaligya og dinadiling drogas,” the mayor added.

In line with this, the mayor appealed and suggested to the judges and prosecutors to tighten the process of plea bargaining.

In the recent City Peace and Order Council (CPOC), jail officials reported that more than half of their inmates in the city jail were arrested for illegal drugs. — (FREEMAN)