Seminar on handling drug cases held for prosecutors

AT least 40 prosecutors in Davao Region gathered Wednesday for the focusgroup discussion on drug cases and drug-related cases held by the Regional State Prosecution Office (RSPO) in Davao City.

The Department of Justice–National Prosecution Service (DOJ–NPS) gathered participants from different prosecution offices and drug court prosecutors at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).

Davao City assistant prosecutor Imee Bisera– Mabale, in an interview, said the discussion focused on the identification of best practices in the prosecution of cases on drugs and drug-related cases in Davao Region.

Mabale said the head prosecutors in the region intends to come up and established the best practices in handling and prosecuting drug cases to help improve the conviction rate in the prosecution of the drug cases here.

"From here, personally, I would also like to conduct seminars and workshops for the law enforcement officers so we could work hand-inhand in prosecuting drug cases and improve the

conviction rate," Mabale told Sun.Star Davao.

The City PO does not have the exact data as of the moment, but Mabale said the numbers of those acquitted are higher than those convicted. She added that this is more on the failure on prosecution.

"When we say failure on prosecution, it is not only the fault of the prosecutor but the prosecution’s witnesses. Those who arrested the accused, wala na established or na preserve ang integrity of the dangerous drugs," Mabale said.

The discussion was pushed in accordance to Memorandum Circular No. 005 which directs regional offices, including city and provincial prosecution offices to optimize efforts of the government to counter the drug problem in the country through effective implementation of the National Anti-Drug Plan of Action. ICT