Sotto wants special drugs courts to help LGUs’ fight illegal drugs

Senatorial candidate Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said that the country needs a special drugs courts to heighten the campaign against illegal drug trade, especially in areas considered as hotspots.

In an interview with www.subictimes.com , Sotto also said that Olongapo, to his recollection, was included in the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) illegal drugs hotlist and hoped that all cities and municipalities would increase resources to fight the illegal drug trade.

Sotto was the former chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board and is currently running for senator under the National People’s Coalition (NPC).

‘Narcopolitics is not as bad as people perceived it to be, but it can easily get out of control if we lower our guard,’ Sotto, who is running for a senate, said in a press briefing at the Subic Bay Venezia Hotel last Saturday.

Accompanied by Rolen Paulino who is running for for vice mayor of  the city, Sotto’s campaign stopped by the Olongapo City mall and the town market of Subic, Zambales last Saturday.

(Sotto with Paulino during his short stop in the city. Photo by Anthony Bayarong)

The former senator sought the help of his former schoolmate Vicente Magsaysay campaign in the city and in Subic, Zambales. ‘I know with Manong Vic’s (Magsaysay) help here, we can remove the city from the watchlist,’ Sotto said.

Sotto added that special drug courts system would ease the burden at local jails and local courts because drug cases comprise 75 to 80 percent of the total inmates in every provincial and city jail in the country.

Data from the Bureau of Prisons showed that around 60% of all cases being handled by the courts here in Olongapo city are drug related.

‘Case resolution will be faster. Those who are guilty will be sentenced much faster while those who aren’t won’t spend so much time holed up in these prison facilities,’ Sotto added.

The proposed amendments on the preservation of evidence will be pushed to include representatives from the justice department, media, police and local government officials including the restructuring of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Sotto said.

Asked on how he plans to help mediamen who are asked by police authorities to witness buy bust, Sotto said that ‘there are enough safeguards in the current laws. But I would certainly push for anything that protects those people who choose to help get rid of illegal drugs in their areas.’

The creation of a national drug penitentiary, he added will detach drug pushers from continuing their trade since these prisons will be off from telecommunication signals, thereby cutting their links outside for their illegal drug trade.

“All these proposals are like a slam dunk to end drug trafficking and abuse in the country. If these proposals will not be done immediately, we will have a much bigger problem on drugs in the next six years,” Sotto said. John Bayarong