LAWYER SASYS GOV'T NOT COMMITTED IN FIGHT V. DRUGS

HUMAN rights lawyer Jose Molintas lamented Tuesday that the national
government is not really committed in its war on purging the country of
illegal drugs.

This came as the president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines
(IBP)-Baguio claimed that minors involved in drug cases who are caught are
being detained at the various jails around the country.

"There is a law providing that (minors) should be treated differently. How
can you say that the government is committed to solve the drug problem when
they cannot even source out funds for rehabilitation centers for drug
patients and proper detention cells for our minors involved in such cases?"
Molintas questioned.

He said the method by which the police are enforcing the law is totally
deviant from the law itself.

"What is happening today is a martial law type of enforcement. Our policemen
seem to have perfected short cuts in enforcing the law and that these
arrests have become an indication of their supposed accomplishments,"
Molintas said.

He disclosed that in most drug cases, the suspects are being detained
despite violations of due process.

Molintas pointed out that this happens despite a memorandum of agreement
(MOA) earlier forged between the IBP-Baguio and the PNP on the provision of
free legal counsel for suspected drug pushers and users who cannot afford to
hire private counsels.

Aside from this, Molintas also pointed out that some policemen are involved
in the illegal trade themselves. "How can you believe such people? Instead
of preventing the trade they themselves are involved in it. How can we call
these cops credible?"

On the other hand, Molintas said policemen are not the only ones who may be
held liable for mishandling drug cases.

"Even members of the judiciary are amiss in their duties. Those involved in
the drug trade have lots of money. It is so easy to get off the hook with
the kind of money they are able to dole out," he added.

Howver, Molintas said this may be a result of pressure coming from the
public and sometimes even the media for prosecutors not to dismiss drug
cases even when the case should be dismissed for lack of evidence or
violations of the due process.

"There was this (drug) case dismissed recently. After the incident, the
prosecutor who handled the case was swamped with calls from different
officials questioning the decision. Is this how the justice system works
now?" the lawyer related.