Drugelated cases ballooned by 300 percent

By LITO RULONA,
Correspondent

the Number of drug related cases has ballooned to more than 300 percent for the month of July alone compared to the previous month before President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of war last month.

This was disclosed by new-appointed officer-in-charge of the City Prosecutor’s Office (CPO) Atty. Merlynn Uy said a surprising increase of drugelated cases submitted by members of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and other law enforcement agencies for inquest proceedings.

She said since Duterte assumed office last June 30 and declared war on drugs, the number of drugelated cases has tripled and has increased by about 300 percent.

In a comparative figure before the new administration took over, for the month of July 2016 alone, about 190 drugs cases were filed and are under inquest investigation compared to 61 inquest cases filed for the month of June 2016 alone.

“It ballooned to more than 300 percent in just one month. From 61 drug related case submitted for inquest in the month of June, it rapidly increased to 190 drug cases submitted for inquest proceedings. Kalit kaayo ang pagsaka,” she said.

Uy said the increase of drug related cases can be attributed to the relentless effort of the law enforcement agencies including the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI 10) who also conducted their own operation against proliferation of illegal drugs.

“Considering the more filing of drugelated cases for the month of August this will continuously increases. Halos tanan case is drugelated ang gaka-submit everyday and the tremendous drop of other crime index cases,” he stressed.

She said the dropping number of other index crime that were submitted to her office would confirmed reports from the local police office pronouncement that Operation Tokhang helps the prevention of other crimes.

“This is not only happening in Cagayan de Oro but all over the country. Our city prosecutors are working overtime because of the increase of drugelated cases. Before our 19 prosecutor’s will only handle at least one drug related case in a week but this time they had at least four drugelated cases every week,” she pointed out.

Uy said aside from resolving inquest cases of drugs, they were also try to resolve those drugelated suspects who were at large, preliminary and summary investigation.

With this development, she is reiterating their request from the Department of Justice to rent a building where the Regional, City, and Provincial Prosecutors Office would be housed.