In Negros Oriental; Court moves to examine status of inmates’ cases

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court in Negros Oriental has sent memoranda to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology at Bajumpandan in Dumaguete City and the provincial jail to account for detainees who are languishing in jail beyond five years, and to expedite the cases against them.

RTC Executive Judge Gerardo Paguio Jr. issued the memoranda in support of the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign through the expeditious and judicious completion of cases in the different RTCs in the province.

A report of the City Jail Warden, Jail Senior Inspector Rolly Bandeling, showed more than 32 detainees have cases pending for five to 10 years, mostly involving drug cases. At the jail’s female dormitory, 13 inmates have cases that are pending for more than five years, he said.

RTC-Branch 30 presiding Judge Rafael Crescencio Tan Jr., said it is a sad fact that some of these inmates maybe acquitted after a long period of detention, quoting the saying “justice delayed, justice denied.”

Tan suggested that defense lawyers may file motions for the dismissal of these cases on the ground of delay in the resolution of such cases, or for failure to prosecute within a reasonable length of time.

In a related development, RTCs handling drugs cases were directed to submit copies of their orders, resolutions and judgments every month when the cases involve an acquittal or dismissal, according to Tan.

He added that another directive is for judges to also submit quarterly reports on the status of drugs cases under their respective sala, indicate the quantity of drugs involved, age of the accused, profile of the accused, date of arraignment, date of pre-trial and the initial date of pre-trial as well as their status.

While some drugs court have yet to submit their respective year-end reports, Tan reported that in the RTC-Branch 30 under him, he decided on 81 cases resulting in the conviction of 74 accused, and acquittal of seven, or a conviction rate of 91 percent.

Of the 74 convictions, 34 were sentenced to life imprisonment, and the rest with various terms, except for one who was meted with a six-month drug rehabilitation. Sixty-two of these convictions were elevated to the Court of Appeals, while five were archived because the accused could no longer be found, he said.

Tan noted that there was a surge in drug cases during the second semester last year, doubling the first semester and totaling to 184 newly-filed cases. The branch now has 221 pending cases, as of December 31, he said.

Meanwhile the other day, Tan sentenced to life in jail two drug suspects from Barangay Calindagan of Dumaguete after they were found guilty beyond reasonable doubt for selling drugs in separate buy-bust operations.

Tan said the two, Emelie Jumalon Cantila, and Jan Mark Viliran, were also fined with P500,000 each. They were the first to be convicted this year in Branch 30, the judge added. (FREEMAN)