Dumaguete Judge Wants to Expedite Cases of Inmates

Negros Oriental Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Gerardo Paguio, Jr recently sent a communication to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City and to the Negros Oriental Detention and Rehabilitation Center (NODRC) to make an inventory of detainees who are in jail for more than five years.  At the same time, he also directed the RTCs to expedite the cases against these detainees.  He issued these communications in support of the campaign against illegal drugs by conducting expeditious and judicious hearings for the completion of the cases.

Jail Senior Inspector Rolly Bandeling, jail warden of Dumaguete City, after the inventory, said that more than 32 detainees have been detained for five to 10 years already, mostly as a result of violations against Republic Act 9165, also known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, with 13 cases at the Female Dormitory.

RTC Branch 30 Presiding Judge Rafael Crescenciano Tan Jr. said that he is saddened by the fact that some of these inmates may be acquitted due to a long period of detention.  He is calling out to the defense lawyers to file motions for dismissal of these cases due to the failure to prosecute within the allowed length of time or on the delay in the resolution of the cases.