PNP: Plugged ‘loophole’ in Dangerous Drugs Act will bring more convictions

The Philippine National Police hopes an amendment to a supposed loophole in the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act will increase convictions in drug cases, 20 percent of which are dismissed on technicalities.

Republic Act 10640, passed last month, allows policemen to perform an inventory of seized illegal drugs and chemicals at the nearest police office or police station in case of warrantless arrests.

Prior to that, authorities had conduct an inventory "immediately after seizure and confiscation" and in the presence of the suspects and with representatives from the Department of Justice, elected public officials, and media workers as witnesses.

The amended Dangerous Drugs Act still requires the inventory to be done in the presence of the same witnesses, however.

"We are optimistic that with this amendment, we will have a higher conviction rate. There is no more reason for acquittals, if it happens, it's the policeman's fault," said Chief Insp. Roque Merdegia, spokesman for the PNP Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force.

"The amendments will give now the police such degree of operational flexibility in the investigation. The amendments will be to the benefit of the campaign against illegal drugs,"  said Senior Supt Bartolome Tobias of AIDSOTF.

"The amendments will put to stop the undue dismissal or acquittals for these reasons," he added.

Last year, AIDSOTF conducted 12 anti-drug operations which resulted in the arrest of 30 individuals and the seizure of prohibited drugs worth P2.95 billion. — Rouchelle R. Dinglasan/JDS, GMA News