Bragging of 74 drug cases filed from 44 operations as of February, the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) put 53 in the watchlist of drug personalities to jail.

Just in the month of February, police teams in the province confiscated a total of 36.95 grams of shabu, other drug paraphernalia and 6 firearms during the drug bust operations.

On the part of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arm in Bohol, there had been 56 drug cases filed, 15 delved on violation of Section 5, one under Section 6, five under Section 7, while 28 under Section 11, and seven under Section 12 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

These involved 38 arrested persons wherein 31 remained detained while seven posted bail.

However, several police accomplishments had been wasted for falling short in legal technicalities.

The representative of PDEA Bohol provincial office also reported that there had been five acquitted from the charges—two of them implicated for violation of Section 5 and three for Section 11.

At least six drug cases had been dismissed.

PDEA-7 records showed that among the grounds for acquittal is the “inconsistencies in the testimony of the vital witnesses of the prosecution and the evidence presented. Another is “non-compliance of Sec. 21, Art. II of RA 9165”.

Other grounds for acquittal were “error and discrepancy in the marking of the date of the seizure as well as the date reflected in the request for laboratory examination”, emphasizing that “all entries should be accurate and correct for any slight error or omission will create a doubt as to the integrity of the things seized.”

The PDEA officer also reported that the court also cited as grounds for acquittal was when the “seizing officers failed to identify in court the evidence submitted; and for failure to observe the rule that “search should be made in the presence of the lawful occupant of the place where the search is served and only when he is absent where the presence of a member of his family or two witnesses can be allowed (Sec. 8, Rule 126, Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure).

“The presence of the accused is not a mere physical presence but a presence with free exercise of freedom,” the PDEA quoted the court ruling.

In BPPO’s pipeline, Bohol populace can expect more “intensified anti-illegal drugs operations against known drug personalities through buy-bust, raid, search and seizure and other activities to prevent proliferation of Illegal drugs and loose firearms”.

The BPPO also intend to strengthen the “Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS) with emphasis on the newly adopted QUAD boundary checkpoint and to review the proper procedures in conducting patrol”.

Provincial PNP Task Force will continue to augment local PNP Units with criminality problems, and the provincewide synchronized checkpoints utilizing all units in coordination with highway patrol group and Land Transportation Office will also continue.

The BPPO will also continue with “internal cleansing” through random drug test among its personnel.