By PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA — Sen. Grace Poe wanted the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to finalize the new implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the amended Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
Poe said the new IRR will strengthen efforts to prevent illegal drug use.
“Higit nating paigtingin ang malawakang pagsugpo ng droga dahil ito ay sumisira ng buhay, dahil ito’y problema ng maraming kabataan, dahil ito ay nagbabaon ng ating lipunan sa lalong kahirapan,” she said.
Under the amended law, the presence of two witnesses is enough to make an inventory of seized drugs valid.
Previously, three witnesses were required during the inventory of seized drugs.
The inventory may take place at either a police station or the nearest office of the apprehending team, the amended law said.
When the above-mentioned requirements are not complied, seizures and custodies remain valid “as long as the integrity and the evidentiary value of the seized items are properly preserved,” it said.
About 1.5 million Filipinos are drug-dependent, according to PDEA.
Some 18,450 of the 101,583 drug-related cases since 2002 have been resolved, the anti-narcotics agency said./PN
