NCRPO, NPS tackle steps to increase drug conviction rate
PROSECUTOR General Benedicto Malcontento this week met with top National Capital Region Police Officials led by Major General Edgar Alan O. Okubo to help the Metro Manila police force further increase its conviction rate with the help of government prosecutors while seeing to it that the rights of all concerned will be fully observed.
It was a rare occasion in which the two pillars of the criminal justice system convened to fully comply with the Department of Justice’s Circular 20 which is specifically aimed at addressing government woes when it comes to convicting lawbreakers in the country including those jailed for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
This year, Local Government Sec. Benjamin ‘Benhur’ C. Abalos Jr. and Philippine National Police Chief General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. called for the need for a much better cooperation between the DILG-PNP and the DOJ to help increase the police force’s drug conviction rate.
Malcontento described their meeting as a ‘grand conspiracy for good’ as he explained that if criminals connive with each other to perpetrate their illegal activities, there is further more reason for the police and government prosecutors to partner with each other in convicting felons.
Maj. Gen. Okubo ordered all Metro Manila district directors and chiefs of police and station commanders to ensure that their men will fully support the DOJ Circular No. 20 which was released by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ C. Remulla Jr. to ensure the proactive involvement of DOJ prosecutors in case build-up.
In his directive, the DOJ chief directed all prosecutors of the National Prosecution Service (NPS) to strictly observe and implement a number of policies and guidelines relative to their proactive involvement in the investigation of crimes.
The official said that the conduct of preliminary investigation is an executive function wherein the prosecutor exercises investigative or inquisitorial powers, the sole purpose of which is to determine whether a crime has been committed and whether there is a prima facie case against respondent and a reasonable certainty of conviction based on the available documents, witness/es, real evidence and the like.
As ordered by the DOJ, all heads of government prosecution offices shall ensure that all prosecutors within their respective offices shall, as far as practicable, be available to assist, coordinate and cooperate with, and provide sufficient legal guidance to, law enforcement agencies (LEA) in all planned operations such as but not limited to buy bust, controlled delivery operation, entrapment, application for search warrant, and the like, starting from their inception until successful termination of the case.
Prosecutors shall also be available at any hour of the day or night, even remotely via available telecommunications technology to help file criminals cases for piracy, qualified piracy, qualified bribery, infanticide, parricide, murder, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, robbery with violence against and intimidation of persons, destructive arson, plunder under RA 7080 and carnapping under RA 6539.
