CHIEF Justice Reynato Puno should act swiftly on the letter-complaint of Jeffrey Roquero of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Roquero accused RTC Judge Raul Bautista Villanueva of illegally dismissing drug trafficking charges that the PDEA had filed against three suspects in Taguig City.

The report of the US State Department that the Philippines is one of the biggest hubs of illegal drug trafficking in the world makes it imperative for the government, including the courts, to act with urgency to stop massive drug trafficking in our country. More alarming is the warning of the State Department that narco-politics could influence the results of the coming elections.

In his letter to Chief Justice Puno and the Supreme Court administrator, Roquero also alleged that retired Supreme Court justice Dante Tinga and his son Taguig City Mayor Sigfrido Tinga influenced Judge Villanueva to dismiss the drug charges against suspects Alberto, Allan Carlos and Fernando, all surnamed Tinga and identified by the PDEA as relatives of the mayor and former justice.

This ties in with the claim of the PDEA, echoed by the State Department, that many local politicians are coddling drug syndicates. The local politicians in turn support national politicians who are expected to do the former some favors in case the latter get elected.

According to the anti-crime group, Droga Salot ng Bayan, the Tingas cannot just dismiss
the charges as ?politicking? because the PDEA and its agents are civil service entities that do not engage in politics.

Indeed, one of the reasons the drug menace is becoming more rampant all over the country is that many government officials, including judges, mayors, police officers and even congressmen and governors, are suspected to be in cahoots with or in the pay of the drug smugglers.

It?s time that Chief Justice Puno and the court administrator seized the chance of putting an end to the menace of illegal drug trafficking in our country.
?JASPER CABRERA,
jasperboyblue@hotmail.com