[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’‘No need to remove city hall Tokhang drop box’ ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Sunday, October 15, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – The local government will not remove the box it set up at the Iloilo City Hall where the public may anonymously drop names of people suspected to be engaged in drug trafficking and other crimes.
It sees no legal basis or impediment to take the Anti-Illegal Drug Information Box (A-IDIB) down, according to City Administrator Hernando Galvez.
“As of now, we find it helpful sa pagkampanya sang syudad kontra sa droga,” stressed Galvez, a lawyer.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said it was “willing to drop the box” in response to Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ call to remove what she described as a “highly irregular” means of anonymously reporting alleged drug dependents and criminals.
The Interior department and the Philippine National Police (PNP) were amenable in shelving the controversial mechanism, Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said during the period of interpellations for the 2018 budget of the DILG.
“We are listening. The DILG and PNP officials are here, and they are willing to drop the box,” said Ejercito, sponsor of the DILG budget.
Galvez stressed that the so-called Tokhang drop box at city hall is an independent city government initiative and not anchored with DILG.
“Aton diri sa syudad, dugay na, ari pa di si Mayor Jed (Patrick Mabilog), may ari na ta nga suggestion box for all in compliance sa ARTA (Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007),” Galvez said.
“Nagdugang na lang kita sa panahon ni Acting Mayor (Jose Espinosa III) sining A-IDIB,” said the city administrator.
On Aug. 29, the DILG issued Memorandum Circular 2017-2012, which stated the guidelines for its community-based program against drugs and crimes Masa Masid.
Under the program, the DILG called on barangays, municipalities and cities to set up drop boxes to enable the public to anonymously report suspected drug dependents and peddlers, and other criminals.
Hontiveros suggested that the DILG eliminate the drop box mechanism.
“It will only be prone to malice and abuse and could even lead to unnecessary deaths,” she said. “How can the government avoid the names of innocent people from being dropped in the boxes?”
For his part, Iloilo governor Arthur Defensor Sr. is not in favor of the drop box mechanism. He agreed that it is susceptible to fabricated charges or complaints.
“Delikado sina nga obra … madamo sina ang mabutang-butang da, especially kon may kontra ka, i-report ka ya nga drug addict or user ka. Damo sina masasko,” he said.
Chief Inspector Charlie Sustento, chief of the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, insists that the drop boxes are helpful in the antidrug campaign.
“Honestly, nanghihinayang because big help tani … but siguro may mga programs man ang DILG so we will respect [whatever they decide]. We will wait for another program nga i-replace sa drop box,” he said./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
