DOJ vows to be more careful in handling drug cases

MANILA, Philippines - Apparently learning from the “Alabang boys” experience, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has vowed to closely examine the technical aspects in a case involving a GMA 7 talent and four others arrested by anti-illegal drug operatives of Philippine National Police (PNP) in a drug bust in Antipolo last week.

Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera said his investigation into the charges against Vivo Ouano, 21, and the other suspects will include an assessment of the handling of evidence by the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force. AIDSOTF officers, for their part, have assured that the chain of custody of evidence was not broken during the operations.

They told reporters last Friday during the filing of charges against Ouano and four others – fellow Starstruck talent search product Jericho Rizalado, 22; and their friends Jojo Pangilinan, 22; Charles Joseph Lacson, 25; and Joshua Cue, 21 – that their operatives were escorted by their legal team during the drug bust.

Ouano’s lawyer, Armando Deloria, denied the charges against his client.

The DOJ earlier lamented that many drug cases have been dismissed in court due to the failure of law enforcers to comply with the strict requirements of the rule involving the chain of custody of evidence.

A glaring example was the acquittal by a Muntinlupa trial court last August of Richard Brodett and Jorge Joseph, after it was found that Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency broke the chain of custody of evidence seized from them in a drug bust in Ayala Alabang Village in 2008.