DOJ assigns fiscals to handle ‘tanim-bala’

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) has assigned at least 12 prosecutors to handle tanim-bala (bullet-planting) incidents and other violations of penal laws and policies at the airports in this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila.

Prosecutor General Claro Arellano, who issued the order Monday, said the set-up would allow “instant inquest” proceedings for passengers caught with bullets in their baggage, giving them time to catch their flights.

He also assigned another set of 12 prosecutors at Camp Crame to handle all other APEC-related offenses, allowing a 24-hour inquest or preliminary investigation processing.

“The prosecutors are assigned in the airport both for the tanim-bala cases and for other offenses during the APEC summit,” Arellano explained in a text message.

Assigned for the special task at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) are Assistant State Prosecutors (ASP) Xerxes Garcia, Philip dela Cruz, Gerard Gaerlan, Clarisa Kuong, Romeo Senson, Michael Vito Cruz, Hjalmar Quintana, Alexander Suarez, Florencio dela Cruz Jr. and Brian Jacinto Cacha; and Prosecution Attorneys (PA) Herbert Abugan and Ma. Richelle Oliva.

At Camp Crame are Senior ASP Edwin Dayog, ASPs Eugene Oliver Jabson, Liezel Aquiatan, Alejandro Daguiso, Ferdinand Fernandez, Karla Cabel, Charlie Guhit and Antonio Arquiza Jr.; and PAs Rodan Parrocha, Honey Rose Delgado, Jerome Coronel and Regalado Ballares Jr.

All would be taking eight-hour shifts for a 24-hour operation. The measure was first implemented the two weeks ago, but only one prosecutor was assigned per day.

DOJ spokesman and Undersecretary Emmanuel Caparas earlier said the designation of prosecutors at NAIA was meant to “shorten the time of going to the fiscal, filing a complaint and determining whether or not a case should be filed at the moment... to avoid incidents were passengers are not allowed to take their flights just because of these incidents.”

The Supreme Court has earlier announced that work in trial courts in the National Capital Region is suspended due to the APEC summit, but stressed that skeleton force would be maintained for “emergency filing” of cases.