PDEA dismayed over acquittal of drug suspects

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) expressed disappointment over the recent acquittal of three high-profile drug suspects who were arrested during an operation by anti-narcotics agents last July 6, 2007.

PDEA director general Dionisio Santiago said they are dismayed by the dismissal of the drug case against Fernando Tinga, his brother Alberto and their nephew Alan Carlos Tinga by judge Raul Bautista Villanueva of the Taguig City Regional Trial Court Branch 267.

"Is there such a thing as a hometown decision in the disposition of drug cases? We are confident that our agents did their job well and exercised regularity in the performance of their duties as mandated by Republic Act 9165. However, this is part of the limitations of law enforcement," Santiago said.

He said he has already ordered the PDEA-Legal and Prosecution Service, headed by lawyer Alvaro Lazaro, to look into the reasons for the suspects’ acquittal.

"We will be consistent and relentless. We will not be demoralized. We will openly voice out our opposition to dismissals and acquittals of drug cases and suspects and we will take note of the lessons learned from these cases," Santiago said. - By Dennis Carcamo (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)