Pubdate: Sat, 15 Nov 2003
Source: Visayan Daily Star (Philippines)
Copyright: 2003 Visayan Daily Star
Contact:  http://www.visayandailystar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1688
Author: Gilbert Bayoran

'BACOLOD STILL TOP PROBLEMATIC DRUG AREA'

It's still on top.

Bacolod City remains on top of the list of "problematic areas" of the 
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency as far as prohibited drugs in Western 
Visayas are concerned.

Police records also show that 70 percent of the prohibited drugs being 
supplied to various towns and cities of Negros Occidental come from Bacolod 
City.

The PDEA also noted that almost 60 percent of detained inmates in key urban 
centers of Negros Occidental are facing drug-related cases.

Other areas in Region 6 categorized by the PDEA as drug problematic areas 
are Aklan, Capiz and Iloilo.

At the same time, however, the campaign against drugs by the Bacolod City 
Police Office and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office has been 
rated excellent by Senior Supt. Lazaro Torcita, Region 6 PDEA chief.

Torcita also noted a problem in the prosecution of arrested suspects 
charged for drug-related crimes.

In some cases, drug charges filed by policemen are dismissed due to 
technicalities, when arresting police officers fail to follow the 
prescribed operational procedures, he added.

Torcita said they are pushing for the creation of a special court that will 
hear only drug-related cases. This will help fast-track the prosecution of 
drug suspects, he added.

In an interview with ABS-CBN, Torcita, warned policemen against bungling 
drug-related cases.

The PDEA is closely monitoring drug-related cases filed by policemen in the 
entire region, he said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman