REHAB OF ADDICTS NOT ENOUGH, SAYS AVISADO

REHABILITATION is not enough for drug pushers and users, Regional Trial Court
Branch 9 Judge Adoracion Avisado said Wednesday.

There should be a complementary livelihood program to ensure these drug users
and pushers will no longer find illegal drugs enticing.

Avisado, who handles most drug cases, said that under the provision of the
Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), first offenders
convicted for drug use must undergo a six-month rehabilitation program.

"What happens after they are through with the six-month rehabilitation? Chances
are they will go back to the vice and it will be a life-long cycle," Avisado
said.

"We should look into the aspect of a permanent rehabilitation for these
convicted drug users, like a farm, a vegetable garden or any project for
sustainable development so that they will not be tempted to go back to the
vice," she said.

Avisado told Sun.Star the government rehabilitation center is still undergoing
construction at Bago Oshiro, Mintal, Davao City and it will be operating full
blast on August 23.

At present, a total of 827 detainees are at the city jail in Ma-a with pending
drug cases before the court, 691 of whom are males, 71 are females and 65 are
minors.

Avisado said that since December 1999 up to the month of July this year, a
total of 1,501 drug cases had been filed before the court. Of these, 1,226 were
already disposed and only 275 are pending.

For the second time, Avisado received a plaque of recognition from President
Arroyo for speedy disposition of cases.

But Avisado was unable to go and sent lawyer Eliseo "Boy" Braganza, chair of
the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council, instead to receive the plaque on August 8.