MANILA — Quezon City (QC) Vice Mayor and Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council (QCADAAC) Chair Joy Belmonte assured that the city has unassailable protocols in building airtight cases against arrested drug personalities.
Belmonte said they have long ironed out the procedures in dealing with the arrests, evidence-gathering, and filing of cases in court against arrested drug suspects.
She said the public need not be wary of dismissal of drug cases against big-time drug kingpins who might be arrested in the city.
“We have developed protocols to address this issue, para maiwasan ‘yung tinatawag nilang (to avoid what is called) ‘gray areas’ sainterpretation ng mga patakaran (in the interpretation of the regulations). Para lahat (So that for all) we are on the same page on how do we go around doing things,” Belmonte said in a statement Sunday.
She added that the set of protocols was a product of collaborative efforts of QCADAAC, barangay anti-drug abuse councils (BADACs), Quezon City Police District (QCPD), Dangerous Drugs Board, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
“And I have trained them already. Nasabi ko na sa kanila (BADACs) ang mga bagong patakaran na ito (I already told them these new regulations),” Belmonte added.
With the help of QCPD, Belmonte has installed drop boxes in all of the city’s 142 barangays, several churches, and police stations as a means to combat crimes.
These drop boxes are designed to encourage people to report the names of personalities in their communities who are involved in drugs and other nefarious activities.
Belmonte also assured that all names reported in the drop boxes are stringently checked, validated, and kept confidential in keeping with the city government’s vow to protect human rights. (Ma. Teresa Montemayor/PNA)
