Lacson seeks to restore CIDG's subpoena power

Senator Panfilo Lacson has filed a bill aiming to restore the authority of the Philippines National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG)  to issue subpoena.

In a statement Monday, Lacson said Senate Bill 1052, if passed, would strengthen the capabilities of the CIDG (formerly Criminal Investigation Unit), noting that the current law, Republic Act 6975, contradicts the CIDG's mandate.

"Under the present law, the CIU (now CIDG) is mandated to undertake the monitoring, investigation and prosecution of all crimes involving economic sabotage, and other crimes of such magnitude and extent as to indicate their commission by highly-placed or professional criminal syndicates and organizations," he said.

"Hence, it is somewhat contradicting that the primary investigative unit does not possess the power to issue administrative subpoenas for the conduct of their mandated duties," added Lacson, a former PNP chief and the chairman of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs.

Lacson said the enactment of RA 6975 repealed RA 5750, which empowered the chief and deputy chief of the former Criminal Investigation Service to issue subpoenas.

Lacson said SB 1052 "seeks to correct this oversight" by restoring previously granted powers of the CIDG and its deputies.

"It is submitted that these powers are indispensable for the CIU to carry out its mandated investigatory and prosecutory functions," he said.

At present, only the Office of the Ombudsman, Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Police Commission, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Cybercrime Operation Center have the power to issue subpoenas. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/KBK, GMA News