Pubdate: Fri, 18 Feb 2005
Source: Visayan Daily Star (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Visayan Daily Star
Contact:  http://www.visayandailystar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1688
Author: GPB
Cited: Philippine National Police http://www.pnp.gov.ph
Cited: Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency http://www.pdea.gov.ph
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?236 (Corruption - Outside U.S.)

ANTI-DRUGS TASK FORCE HEADED FOR OVERHAULING

The Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force of the Negros 
Occidental police appears to be heading for overhauling.

Senior Supt. Charles Calima, newly-installed provincial police director of 
Negros Occidental, yesterday said that while he wants to strengthen the 
AIDSOTF, there is need to conduct a background investigation on its members.

This was after PO1 Christian Dingcong, who was found positive for 
prohibited drugs, was also arrested and charged for direct bribery and 
violation of RA 3019, or the Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Dingcong 
allegedly extorted P5,000 from arrested drug offender Joefer Fernandez last 
month in exchange for dropping the case filed against him.

Dingcong and the entire AIDSOTF were earlier summoned by Calima to explain 
their failure to return the search warrant within the 10-day period as 
prescribed by the court. That had led to the release of Fernandez from jail 
on Feb. 11.

The entire AIDSOTF team who are also members of the Provincial Anti-Illegal 
Task Force yesterday started to undergo a seminar-workshop to correct 
lapses in the filing of drug cases, with Prosecutor Rossano Toledano as 
speaker.

Government prosecutors and judges, as well as representative of the 
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, were invited by Calima to lecture and 
give pointers to the AIDSOTF team on how to ensure an airtight case and 
conviction of drug offenders.

Dingcong who was accompanied by his parents, met yesterday with Calima to 
signify his intention to undergo rehabilitation.

Calima, however, said Dingcong will continue to face the criminal and 
administrative charges filed against him.

By identifying the problem and lapses in the anti-drug campaign, hopefully, 
we will be able to remove the opportunity of connivance between the drug 
offenders and policemen, he added.

Dingcong, who is now under the custody of the Negros Occidental police 
commander, with PO1 Jonathan Baldevieso who was charged for illegal 
gambling, earlier, cried foul over his arrest, claiming he was a victim of 
a "frame up".
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