DOJ wraps up probe on 52 drug war cases
THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has wrapped up its investigation into the 52 drug war cases which the Philippine National Police (PNP) forwarded for review.
” It’s done. I’m just going over it,” Guevarra said, adding he will ask the PNP if the results would be released to the public.
The cases involve findings of administrative liability against hundreds of police personnel for alleged misconduct committed in the course of anti-illegal drug operations.
The DOJ leads a panel of several government agencies, including law enforcement units, in reviewing 5,655 anti-drug operations that resulted in deaths to see whether to file charges against the police officers involved.
The DOJ has been granted unprecedented access to PNP’s records of deaths during the government’s war on drugs.
Guevarra said the DOJ would zero in on 61 cases where the PNP Internal Affairs Service had found liabilities against policemen involved in the campaign to eradicate drugs.
“What is significant right now is that the DOJ has been given free access, something that did not happen in previous years, thereby making our review rather difficult.”
“The DOJ, however, will continue to examine case records available from its regional prosecution offices other than those covered in its initial report,” Guevarra said.
