Judge: Delay not acceptable in prosecution of cases

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — For the first six months this year, one of the regional trial courts (RTC) in Negros Oriental has disposed of 52 drugs cases, 32 of which are convictions ranging from 12 years and one day to a maximum of 14 years for illegal possession of shabu and life imprisonment for selling the drug

Penalties for possession and selling the drug are provided for under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

RTC Branch 30 presiding Judge Crescencio Tan Jr. disclosed the standard claim and/or defense of drug suspects are plain denial, that they were framed up, or that evidence was planted against them.

Still, the presiding judge of one of the drugs courts enjoins suspects to file administrative charges against law enforcers if they believe evidence was planted against them. He said planting of evidence is itself a crime.

RTC Branch 30 has 109 remaining drugs cases, all for disposition within the year.

Last Friday, a provincial prosecutor was fined by the drugs court for being late in attending the scheduled promulgation of drugs cases.

Fined for P1,000 was Provincial Prosecutor Maritess Macarubbo who was attending the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCL) for lawyers at Bethel Guest House, the last day of which was last Friday.

Tan stressed the promulgation of judgment has been scheduled earlier and that prosecutors should keep track of their calendar. "We can't postpone promulgation of judgment because a government prosecutor assumed it was cancelled or postponed, in this case because of the MCLE," he said.

The judge sent the provincial guard to where the MCLE was conducted and brought the prosecutor back to court so that the promulgation could proceed. —/JMO (FREEMAN)