While Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Philippine National Police personnel in Oriental Negros are complaining about the dismissals of drug cases, a government lawyer said their men should study more the laws on drugs to ensure the conviction of arrested suspects.

Provincial legal officer Erwin Vergara said some PDEA personnel and PNP members in the third district of the province have complained to him about the series of dismissals of drug cases, which they said, has weakened their morale.

Vergara said he conferred on this with Judge Orlando Velasco, of the Regional Trial Court Branch 63 in Bayawan City, the lone RTC in the third district, and found out that the dismissals were due to procedural and technical defects on the part of the law enforcers.

He added that he understands the plight of the law enforcers, but stressed that the law must be followed. The Commission on Human Rights shared Vergara's observation. CHR special investigator Jess Cañete said that there were many instances when police officers did not follow the law in conducting arrests.

In some cases, Cañete said the arrests, although done in good faith, resulted in human rights violation.

Vergara said such law enforcers need to be trained in building up strong cases, including the gathering of evidence, and the conduct of search and arrest.*RA

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