MANILA – The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) questioned why the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) only filed administrative charges instead of criminal complaints against “narco-politicians” before the Office of the Ombudsman.
IBP president Atty. Abdiel Fajardo said if the DILG was confident with its evidence against the politicians allegedly involved in illegal drug trade, it must held them liable for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“I’m quite puzzled why only administrative cases were filed since if the allegation is correct that they committed offenses under the anti-drug act, then the most logical cases to be filed are criminal cases,” Fajardo said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
He added: “Because only substantial evidence is required, the evidence might not be enough to support a conviction in a criminal case. An administrative case requires less quantum of proof compared to a criminal.”
Fajardo also said he sees nothing wrong with President Rodrigo Duterte exposing to public the “narco-list” since cases filed against them will be on public record but is concerned if the filing of the cases was warranted by presently available evidence.
“If it will be shown the filing was baseless and made only to besmirch the reputations of those named in the so-called list then the people named in the list and who have been made respondents against basis will have causes of action against those who included them in the list,” Fajardo said.
Duterte on Thursday made the release of the narco-list to serve as guide for voters in the upcoming midterm polls./PN
