THE Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday that it has already received 53 case files from the Philippine National Police (PNP) pertaining to its anti-illegal drug operations where deaths have occurred.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the DOJ-led Inter-Agency Review Panel on anti-illegal drug operations would immediately scrutinize the records to determine if there’s criminal liability on the part of the police officers involved.
The PNP has initially given the DOJ access to 61 cases involving anti-illegal drug operations.
“With the exception of eight administrative cases that the PNP Internal Affairs Service [IAS] has not completely disposed of, 53 cases files were delivered to the DOJ this afternoon [Tuesday afternoon]. We shall immediately go over the contents of these files and decide how to proceed further,” Guevarra said.
The DOJ chief said he does not see any need for President Duterte’s approval for criminal investigation and prosecution that may be conducted as a result of the panel’s review.
“But we shall keep in mind his concern for national security as we evaluate each and every case,” Guevarra stressed.
Guevarra also said he is taking into serious consideration President Duterte’s recent statement of concern that the panel review might compromise national security, adding that review does not contradict the President’s order to review such cases.
He noted that the President has not called his attention when he spoke about the drug war review last year before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and when he submitted to him an initial report on the matter.
The President, according to Guevarra, was silent about his speech before the UNHRC last February where he noted certain lapses in police operations.
“The President never called my attention to it. Then the DOJ and the PNP agreed to share information on administrative cases filed against erring police officers. Up to that point, the President has not raised any objection,” the DOJ chief explained.
Earlier, DOJ Undersecretary Adrian Sugay said the review panel was able to scrutinize the cases that were filed at the National Prosecution Service.
As of December 11 last year, a total of 916 cases were filed but only 328 cases were made available for review.
Guevarra said in his report last June during the 44th UNHRC Human Rights Council Session the panel intends to review a total of 5,655 anti-illegal drugs operations where deaths occurred.
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