Labella asks Congress to amend Drugs Act

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella is requesting the Congress to amend Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 which he said partly attributes to the increase of drug incidents.

“This has become the weapon now of the defense counsels,” said Labella, who is also requesting officials of the Philippine National Police to amend its memorandum circular making it apparently exclusive to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to undertake buy-bust operations.

 Cebu City Police Office director Noli Romana has told the Council that one reason why the problem on illegal drugs continues to exist in the city is because they cannot conduct drug operations or implement drug-related search warrants anymore without the authorization or deputization from PDEA.

 PDEA, admittedly, is also undermanned, said Labella, who chairs the Police Advisory Coordinating Council.

 â€œThat is why in the prosecution of drug cases, that has been made as means now of the defense counsels that if there is no deputization now from PDEA, they will move for the dismissal of the case because of this provision,” Labella disclosed.

 Under Section 21, representatives from the Department of Justice, media, and any elected public official shall be required to sign the copies of the inventory after a drug raid.  This pushed Labella to request the Congress to take away Section 21 from RA 9165.

 â€œSayon ra ba gud pagpangita og DOJ representative? Ibutang ta naa’y media mukuyog, are all media personalities willing to sign?” added Labella.

 Some barangay officials also shared to Labella their reluctance in signing the inventory or investigation reports for fear that the suspects, who are not prosecuted, will bear a grudge and hurt them.

 â€œLikayan nato diri ang possible abuse (of the law) and the risk of catching the culprit,” the Vice Mayor pointed out. — (FREEMAN)