Technical glitches delay work in satellite offices

Despite the designation of inquest prosecutors to man the satellite offices of the Cebu Provincial Prosecutors Office, the assigned prosecutors have not conducted a single inquest proceeding yet because of technical and manpower problems.

Provincial prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba said she ordered prosecutors Rustom Presas, Ivy Macias, Venice Balansag, Petronio Eslesterio, Nelia Sistoso and Jasmin Despi not to conduct inquest yet because they need process servers and computers to ensure that the evidence will not be misplaced.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has designated Presas as inquest fiscal for Barili, Macias and Balansag for Bogo, Eslesterio and Sistoso for Argao and Despi for Toledo City.

Petralba said that aside from process servers, the lack of computers is a factor that has held back the full operation of these satellite offices.

She, however, said she already has scheduled a seminar on June 17 for the town policemen because she will utilize the police to serve the notices to the litigants. Although, there are already computer units available, but she said it needs to be formatted to facilitate the easy tracking of cases.

Petralba explained that formatted computers are necessary to ensure that evidence is not lost while under the prosecutor's custody.

"Wala usa nato pasugda og inquest kay basin og magkayagaw," Petralba said.

As soon as the formatting of the computers and the seminar of the police who will act as process servers are done, Petralba said the satellite offices will already accept inquest proceedings.

Petralba added this would make much easier for the police to file charges because they don't need to go to the city anymore for the inquest. She said this would also facilitate the speedy disposition of cases and delivery of justice. - Fred P. Languido