BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
ILOILO –The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of this province approved during its regular session a municipal ordinance of Barotac Viejo that gives rewards to illegal drug informants.
According to Mayor Niel “Beng” Tupas III, the ordinance was inspired by a similar one of Dumangas town.
The Barotac Viejo ordinance is entitled “An ordinance giving reward to any person who gives information leading to the prosecution of any person for violation of the Dangerous Drug Act of 1972 and for other purposes.”
Tupas said the reward system is a strategy to motivate people to cooperate in the campaign against illegal drugs.
The ordinance stipulates that P10,000 per case will be granted to “any person who has knowledge or information on the commission of a crime and has voluntarily given his knowledge or information to the Municipal Mayor, which led to the prosecution of the violator…”
The monetary reward will be granted to the informant provided that the offense in which his said knowledge or information given refers to any of the acts punishable by the Dangerous Drug Acts of 1972, as amended; his knowledge or information caused the arrest of the perpetrator, the filing of corresponding information at the Regional Trial Court and the arraignment of the accused before the said court; and he is not a law enforcement officer.
The town mayor revealed that the information gathered shall be confidential in nature and no information on documents given, prepared or submitted in support thereof, shall be released except as authorized by law./PN
