CEBU CITY – Police here have said that the low dismissal rate proves that cases filed against arrested illegal drug suspects are airtight.
Police Lt. Col. Maria Theresa Macatangay, spokesperson of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said the dismissal rate of illegal drug cases has been low in the past years.
In 2020, 1,328 cases were filed and two were dismissed, one on the prosecutor’s level and another one in court.
In 2021, only two out of the 1,330 cases filed were dismissed. The two dismissals were both on court level.
For this year, the CCPO has filed 976 drug cases and none has been dismissed so far, said Macatangay.
The CCPO released these figures after Police Major Gen. Valeriano de Leon, director for operations of the Philippine National Police, called for the strengthening of the government’s anti-illegal drug efforts by coming up with airtight cases against arrested drug suspects.
According to Macatangay, one of the common causes that cases end up being dismissed is the failure to obtain witnesses.
Procedural lapses during the conduct of operations also contribute to the dismissal of some of cases, said Macatangay.
Macatangay said negligence on the part of police personnel leading to the dismissal of a case will result to a pre-charge investigation.
She said the role of local government units is essential to ensure the success of cases of filed against arrested drug suspects.
Officials from the barangay are needed in anti-illegal drug operations to serve as witness, Macatangay pointed out.