BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—A provincial board member here has called on law enforcement agencies involved in the government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs to implement full disclosure and documentation on their operations.
“While we are in full support of the illegal drugs campaign, may we seek full disclosure and documentation on the full operations of our law enforcement agencies?” Board Member Victor Gines, Liga ng mga Barangay President, said in his recent privilege speech.
He also lamented the earlier denial of Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency operatives on his request for full disclosure of their illegal drug operations for reasons that these buy-bust operations will be “burned” or compromised.
“When we are called to testify in court hearings that we saw the whole operation but in most of these operations, we only appear when called by our law enforcers during search and seizure portion. Hence, we are not privy to the actual whole duration of the operation,” Gines said.
He said PDEA and PNP should instead employ the use of a video camera to fully document the whole process of anti-illegal drug operation.
Gines also asked his fellow legislators to order law enforcement agencies to implement the proposal as part of their mandated procedure in carrying out illegal drug buy-bust operations among suspects.
“This vital documentation should be presented in court as evidence so that lawless individuals who will be convicted are beyond reasonable doubt. In this way, we are helping the barangay officials who are also risking their lives and integrity as witnesses to crimes committed in their communities,” he added.