Following a revived concern on illegal drugs due to the recent case involving the "Alabang Boys",  alleged drug users and drug dealers caught by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) during an entrapment operation sometime in September 2008, the Office of the Solicitor General, headed by Solicitor General Agnes VST Devanadera, recently announced that OSG is a drug-free workplace during its flag ceremony last 19 January 2009.   

            At the lobby of the OSG, is another campaign material on OSG as a drug-free workplace.

            In addition to declaring itself as a “drug-free” workplace, OSG also stated its commitment to the national government’s fight against illegal drugs. “The Office of the Solicitor General, its officials and employees, commit themselves to support the National Government in its advocacy to fight illegal drugs in the country by ensuring that the institution remains a ‘drug-free’ workplace, “said Solicitor General Devanadera, who was a former Senior National Action Officer on Anti-Illegal Drug Campaign and Ex-Officio member of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) when she was still the Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

            Tarpaulins were posted stating the commitment of OSG to support the government’s advocacy to fight illegal drugs by ensuring that OSG remains a drug free workplace.

            The OSG came up with campaign materials such as the posting of tarpaulin in its lobby so the visiting clients would be informed that the OSG is a drug-free workplace. During the launching last Monday, pins or buttons containing the message “OSG 100% DRUG-FREE” were also given to the employees so they can personally promote the advocacy of OSG. An audio-visual presentation entitled “Imagine”, from the DDB was also shown to the employees to educate them about the drug situation in the country and its ill effects to the users.

            She advised the employees, especially those who are already parents, to closely monitor and guide their children so they would not become users and pushers. “The most painful thing that could ever happen is when we [parents] have to bring our own children to a rehab center, “she added.

OSG Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force

            On that same day, Solicitor General Devanadera gathered the media for a press conference to introduce the OSG Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force and to inform the public about the collaborative efforts of OSG and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to ensure the proper build-up of cases involving illegal drugs. With her in the panel to answer questions from the media is PDEA Chief General Dionisio R. Santiago .

According to Devanadera, during the Cabinet Meeting for the National Security Council Cluster on 13 January 2009, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who assumed the role of “drug czar”, instructed the OSG to assist the PDEA in the build-up of cases on violation of anti-drug law, among others. Immediately, she created the Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force headed by new Assistant Solicitor General Cielo Se-Rondain.

            During the press conference, Solicitor General Devanadera discussed the statistics culled from the records of PDEA regarding drug cases filed all over the country. Based on PDEA’s statistics, there are 99,754 drug cases filed all over the country; 78,047 (78%) of which remains pending before the courts; 5,832 (6%) are dismissed; 2,346 (2%) are provisionally dismissed; 6,862  (7%) are convictions and 6,667 (7%) are acquittal.

            She stated that reasons for acquittal are the following: Irregularity/illegality of arrest, search and seizure (29%), reasonable doubt (21%), insufficiency of evidence (12%), inconsistencies in testimony (13%), and others.

Big tasks

            To address the concerns, specifically on the number of pending drug cases before the courts, Solicitor General Devanadera said that together with the PDEA, they will write the Supreme Court to submit to them data culled from the PDEA records for their [SC] appropriate action. She also announced that even before the “Alabang Boys” issue surfaced, PDEA and the Chief PNP have already initiated actions on their people who failed to appear in the hearings of drug cases and who, one way or the other, caused obstruction to the prosecution of the cases. OSG is also currently reviewing the manual of procedures to improve and strengthen the case build-up and prosecution of cases.

            Solicitor General Devanadera also said that the President also required OSG to review the big cases, which have been dismissed, to determine the causes of dismissal and to file appropriate charges against erring government officials or employees who caused or contributed to the dismissal of cases.

            “The President is very empathic that there will be no ‘sacred cows’,” Solicitor General Devanadera stated. (By: Erika Joy C. Arcillas, OSG Web Team)