WITH only 22,774 police investigators trained in criminal law and procedures out of close to 225,000 police officers nationwide, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is geared to partner with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to assess, retrain, and supplement the capabilities of the police workforce’s investigation to improve conviction rate of criminal cases.

True to his commitment to lessen dismissed cases in the country, DILG Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos, Jr. vows to work with DOJ and PNP to capacitate police investigators to deliver convictions and “not put to waste police operations just by a mere technicality.”

“Police investigation serves as a critical component in law enforcement because this single act will determine whether the case would be dismissed or not. It is important that our police investigators are well-versed in criminal law and procedures so they [can] conduct an effective and efficient investigation,” Abalos said in a press conference held Thursday at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

“We will enhance the knowledge and skills of our investigators from PNP so they could better perform their duties and responsibilities well and help [improve] the criminal justice system in the country,” he added.

This retraining activity is part of the DILG and DOJ’s plan to improve the justice system in the Philippines by making the enforcement and prosecution officers work in unison to decongest jails and ultimately minimize criminality.

He said that out of 22,774 police investigators nationwide trained in criminal law and procedures, only 123 are holders of a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree, hence, the DILG and the DOJ’s retraining of police investigators on remedial law and substantive law, including topics on surveillance, effecting an arrest, preserving and processing the scene of the crime, and processing the evidence, among others.

The DILG chief said that from July 1, 2018 to July 15, 2022, 5,551 cases out of the 298,664 complaints against police officers with illegal drug-related charges were dismissed at the prosecutor level, while 5,753 cases were dismissed in Court.

“This is where we are going to start. What is important is not the number of cases filed but the quality of cases filed,” he emphasized.

Abalos likewise said that the agencies will review the hiring and training process and qualifications for police investigators to ensure that they can develop “solid” complaints against accused criminals to decrease the number of dismissed criminal cases.

Further, the DILG chief acknowledged the DOJ and the PNP for a great partnership in accordance with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s vision to ensure that the Filipino people feel the presence of the national government, “In the spirit of participatory governance, we acknowledge that we can do more if we are united kaya kasama natin sa hangaring ito ang DOJ at PNP higit lalo ang mamamayan tungo sa pag-unlad ng bansa na malayo sa kriminalidad.”

“The people must have trust in the system of government. Alam ko malaki ang tiwala sa atin. Mas lalo pa nating paiigtingin ang tiwalang ito,” Abalos added.

Moreover, Abalos cautioned criminals, saying that the authorities are working closely to ensure justice will prevail, “Kaya kami nagjo-join forces ngayon to protect the Filipinos. Nandiyan ang kapulisan, NBI, other law enforcement institutions, nandito kaming lahat. To the criminals, we are united against you.”

Meanwhile, DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla cited areas of improvement in the appreciation of evidence between the enforcement and the prosecution arm of the justice system.

He also said that prosecutors should work closely with the police and become allies in pursuing criminals so that “cases can be filed directly by them and can be prosecuted to the very end.”

“When prosecution and enforcement go together, probably we will have a stronger criminal justice system. The real aim here is to have a better, effective conviction rate para hindi po nasasayang ang resources,” he added.