August 31, 2002
***two (2) stories***
1. BARBERS ASKS AVENIDO: ARE SOME PDEA MEN INVOLVED IN HULIDAP
ACTIVITIES?
2. COMMUTE DEATH SENTENCE TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT - PIMENTEL TO GMA
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story no. 1
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Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
August 31, 2002
BARBERS ASKS AVENIDO: ARE SOME PDEA MEN INVOLVED IN HULIDAP
ACTIVITIES?
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SENATOR Robert Z. Barbers today asked Undersecretary Anselmo
Avenido, Director General of the Philippine Drug Enforcement
Agency (PDEA) to answer allegations that certain operatives and
officials of the newly created anti-drug group are engaged in
"hulidap" or extortion activities.
Barbers said that if the above reports are true, it is a grave
and serious matter considering that it has been only three months
since the creation of the PDEA.
It will be noted that in the past, "hulidap" activities
have resulted in the dropping of many drug cases.
The Mindanao solon said Avenido should shed light on this very
serious and very damaging allegation considering that PDEA, under
Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of
2002, which he principally authored in the Senate, is solely
tasked to neutralize drug trafficking and curb, if not eliminate
the menace of illegal drugs.
"We cannot let unscrupulous elements continue to penetrate
and operate within PDEA for this will undoubtedly hamper the all
out campaign of the government against illicit drugs,"
Barbers, chairman of the Senate committee on Public Order and
Illegal Drugs said.
Barbers issued his call following the complaint of Atty. Oliver
Lozano, lawyer of a certain Jay Dela Cuesta and Benjie Lim who
are both facing drug charges following their arrest for
possession of ecstasy pills.
The agents who were responsible for the arrest of the suspects
allegedly demanded fmm Dela Cuesta and Lim the amount of P200,0OO
in exchange for the dismissal of the case against them.
Barbers said he will file on Monday a Senate Resolution to dig
deeper into the issue and that he will summon Avenido and other
agents of the PDEA to get to the bottom of the case.
"If during the investigation I will find a basis to
recommend a revamp of the PDEA, I will not hesitate to do
so," the former Interior and Local Government Secretary
pointed out adding that he will also endorse the dismissal of
policemen who will be found guilty of the said modus operandi.
On the other hand, Barbers stressed that he will commend and give
due recognition to PDEA operatives who will be cleared of the
hulidap allegations.
///Camille p. balagtas
story no. 2
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Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
August 31, 2002
COMMUTE DEATH SENTENCE TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT - PIMENTEL TO GMA
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A pro-life senator, yesterday asked President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo to exercise her option to downgrade the death
penalty to life imprisonment rather than apply a selective
execution of death convicts.
Stressing his point, Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. said the
imposition of life imprisonment is a better alternative than the
President's plan to go ahead with the execution of convicted
kidnappers and to spare the life of death row inmates who are
convicted for rape and other less heinous crimes.
The death penalty, the pro-life senator maintains, is inhuman,
unchristian, and constitutionally impermissible form of
punishment.
"Even if the death sentence of a convict has already been
affirmed by the Supreme Court with finality, the penalty can
still be commuted to life imprisonment by the President. That
option is allowed under the law," Pimentel said.
He said the imprisonment conforms of reformatory justice that
enables convicts to repent and turn over a new leaf.
Pimentel lauded the President's stand that she is willing
tolisten to the debates in Congress over the proposed repeal of
the death penalty before sending anybody to the lethal injection
chamber.
In line with this, the President granted a 90-day reprieve to
three death convicts - Roberto Pagdawayon, Filomeno Serrano and
Eddie Serdenilla.
Pimentel urged the President anew to declare a general moratorium
on all executions while Congress is debating the bill abolishing
the death penalty instead of suspending the death penalty on a
case-to-case basis.
About 100 congressmen have signed a resolution for a moratorium
on the death penalty.
The same sentiment prevails in the Senate where 15 members have
signed up as authors of the bill repealing the death penalty.
"By opposing the death penalty, the senators and congressmen
are merely echoing the sentiment and conviction of the people who
elected them. And as we can see, the President is willing to
listen to what the people want on the issue," Pimentel said.
On the President's option to commute the death penalty to life
imprisonment, Pimentel said the public should be disabused from
the misconception that criminal offenders will be spared from
punishment if the death penalty is abolished. ///Camille p.
balagtas