SC orders 11 more RTCs to handle drug cases

CEBU, Philippines - Aside from the specially-designated drugs courts, 11 other Regional Trial Courts in Negros Oriental had been ordered to hear and decide drug cases filed under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

This came after the increasing volume of drugs cases filed almost daily at RTC-Branch 30, under presiding Judge Crescencio Tan Jr. and RTC-Branch 36 under presiding Judge Joseph Elmaco.

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno with 14 other justices of the Supreme Court wanted the order dated July 19, 2016 to immediately take effect, while it arrived only lately at Negros Oriental for implementation by RTC Executive Judge Gerardo Paguio Jr.

The SC order mandates that all newly-filed drugs cases shall be raffled off, heard, tried and decided by all RTCs except for the family courts and the overburdened RTCs, two of which are in Negros Oriental—Branches 30 and 36.

Tan of RTC-Branch 30 said the high court wanted to help in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs by directing the remaining 240 RTCs nationwide to help decongest the dockets including the resolution of drugs cases.

There are already 715 RTCs all over the country that are authorized to hear and decide drug cases, but because of the increasing and steadily rising number of similar cases filed, the SC saw the urgency of authorizing more courts to handle these and ease up the already heavy dockets in specially-designated drugs courts.

However, the 121 RTCs—designated as family courts—are exempted from this order, having exclusive jurisdiction to hear and decide cases against minors pursuant to Republic Act 8369.

Tan said the SC order also said this system in the distribution of drugs cases shall continue until the number of drugs cases in the various court stations will become manageable, as determined by the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), or until otherwise ordered discontinued by the high court.

The OCA will be closely monitoring all courts handling drug cases and undertake necessary measures to ensure the efficient distribution, handling and disposition of drug cases such as but not limited to the following:

1)Recommend the designation of assisting courts or assisting judges to specially-designated drugs court and regular courts hearing drugs cases, as needed; and

2)Submit quarterly reports to the Court including the nature of drugs cases filed and the amount of drugs involved in each case, based on the reports submitted by the trial courts and perform such other tasks as are essential for the efficient distribution, handling and disposition of drugs cases.

Tan said that, at RTC-Branch 30, he had disposed 48 cases with 38 convictions from January to June this year.

Starting July, drugs cases were filed almost every day in the two court salas, 34 in July, 46 in August, 50 in September and more than 30 so far in October for Branches 30 and 36 only, since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office.

To date, Branch 30 has 210 pending drugs cases with a conviction rate of more than 85 percent, Tan added. (FREEMAN)