Police Chief Inspector Jefferson Descallar and eight other policemen were charged by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency before the Cadiz City Prosecutor's Office for the alleged delay and bungling of the prosecution of drug cases.

Supt. Roybel Sanchez, newly-installed PDEA regional director of Western Visayas, yesterday said the criminal complaint for alleged violation of Section 92 of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 against Descallar and eight of his policemen, stemmed from the delay in filing of drug cases against two arrested drug pushers, that led to their release from jail when the reglamentary period lapsed.

PDEA investigators said they found probable cause for filing criminal charges against Descallar and the eight other Cadiz policemen for violation of Section 92 of RA 9165. Sanchez said they will also file an additional administrative complaint against Descallar and the eight others before the Internal Affairs Service of the Police Regional Office.

Delay in filing drug cases within the reglamentary period of detention of arrested drug suspects is punishable under Section 92 of RA 9165 with a penalty of a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment, and dismissal from the police service if convicted for serious neglect of duty, Balquin said.

The eight Cadiz policemen and Descallar were ordered by PDEA to explain the delay in connection with the cases against Ricardo Cayapado and Renante Aladin.

Descallar blamed the delay on the unavailability of Cadiz City Prosecutor Marcelo del Pilar, who, he claimed, failed to report to his office from June 4 to 8.

Del Pilar, however, refuted this, saying he had reported to his office from June 4 to 8, and was even able to handle the inquest case of PO1 Rafael Gargar vs. Pepito San.

Sanchez said "It is up to the Prosecutor's Office to evaluate their reply to the complaint".

If convicted, they will be dismissed from the police service, Sanchez told the DAILY STAR.

The arrest of Cayapado, a suspected big time shabu pusher in Cadiz City, and Aladin, led to the recovery of shabu estimated to have a market value of not less than P100,000, police records show.

Descallar and three other policemen are also facing complaints before the Office of the Visayas Ombudsman, filed by the Commission on Human Rights, in connection with the arrest of a civilian mistaken to be one of the 10 most wanted persons in Western Visayas.

Despite the numerous complaints filed against Descallar, the Cadiz City Police Station he commanded was adjudged twice as best city police station in Negros Occidental for two consecutive quarters of 2007, and won the "best city police community relations award" in Western Visayas, police records also showed.*GPB

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