SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 18, 2011-Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III bats for the establishment of a penitentiary solely for the drug offenders in the country under the supervision of the office of the national penitentiary.
The Senator has filed resolution number 12 for the establishment of regional penitentiary for drug offenders where convicts and those accused for violation of Republic Act. No. 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, shall be detained.
“There is an urgent and indispensable need to come up with measures to address the peculiarity of the rehabilitation and security requirement for drug offenders,” he said.
Sotto said that considering the fact that drug offenders comprise 70% of the inmates in the city jails and national penitentiaries, it cannot be discounted that illegal drugs trade continue to thrive even to those already behind bars.
He furthered that there is a need for the total overhauling in the jail system; thus, he reiterated over and over again for the overhaul and revamp in the jail system, saying that the only solution is to create a drug penitentiary for drug offenders.
“Someone should be accountable for this appalling situation that is sending a wrong signal that our justice system does not work,” he said, adding that drug offense is a special kind of crime and it requires a special rehabilitation program and security protocol for its offenders.
“There should be arrests, prosecutions and rehabilitations for the anti-illegal drug programs to become successful where the creation of the regional penitentiaries will be under the supervision of the Office of the National Penitentiary for Drug Offenders.
“This measure will surely help to eradicate drug problems,” he said. (Jason de Asis)
