-where justice is tempered with mercy-

VP Binay lauded Judge Art Abundiente

Judge Art Abundiente Judge Arthur Abundiente of RTC Branch 25 of Cagayan de Oro City, during the 9^th anniversary of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), received a plaque of appreciation from Vice President Jejomar Binay for his efforts which have contributed to the success of national anti-drug campaign. Judge Abundiente, despite attempts of bribing and offering him big money, convicted many drug pushers including three Korean nationals who were part of big drug syndicate operating in the country.

Binay expressed his unwavering support to the agency’s anti-drug campaign. During the launching of the PDEA-SMART Text Hotline, in Quezon City, Vice President Binay led the inaugural sending of confirmation message from SMART to pre-registered numbers.

PDEA director general Jose S. Gutierrez Jr. also lauded the accomplishments of PDEA which includes dismantling seven shabu clandestine laboratories, neutralizing 36 drug dens and four shabu tiangges, the arrest of 9,655 drug personalities, the filing of 10,343 drug cases, and confiscation of P4 billion worth of dangerous drugs.

Call for Justice Activities

01/22

Free the Cash Donations for Sendong victims from bureaucratic red tape

by Cesar Padilla

Cash and check donations received by the City Treasurer as of January 5, 2012 is P363,581,553.22 per Iligan City government website. According to city officials, these funds donated to LGU are still intact and can't be easily disbursed due to government policies and procedures to be followed for its release. No debate, the government bureaucratic red tape prevails. On the other hand, Calamity Fund released as of this writing is P10,995,918.25, according to our source. However, the Iligan City government website published that the actual expenditure of calamity fund is about P4.7 Million only.

We are in a calamity, catastrophe, and emergency situation, are we not?

Analogous to our situation is a firefighting scenario where we have lots of water but are we are prohibited to use it. So we just ask the volunteers to grab anything to help us put off the fire. Ridiculous, isn’t it?

There must be a way so that LGU can immediate utilize these donated funds for use in this time of emergency and crisis. “Aanhin pa damo kung patay na ang kabayo.”

Now, there’s an outbreak of Leptospirosis. The evacuation centers are congested with victims. The comfort rooms are comfortable no more. What’s next? Can we afford for another OUTBREAK of diseases?

We understand that there are lots of problems because of the greater degree of devastation brought by Sendong. But somehow there is a solution and lots of options to solve each problem. We just need to synergize our ideas, efforts and resources. I just hope that the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Iligan will empathize to the victims of T-Sendong and will likewise open their hearts & minds to the simple suggestions of those who wish to help solve this crisis.

How about asking the donors not to deposit their donations to LGU Treasury but to private joint account whose holders are trustworthy? To put it more accurately, a joint account for Sendong Victims shall be opened and to be represented by trusted persons from the church, from trusted NGO and even Ms. Louela Maybituin in her private capacity not as City Treasurer and then let the Phil. Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA-Iligan) be the auditing entity for this fund. Make each transaction of fund transparent to the public.

If the Honorable Mayor Lawrence Cruz thinks that this suggestion is appropriate, then perhaps he could ask the donors (especially private donors) to deposit their cash or check donations in the trusted private account as discussed above, not to the LGU’s to get rid of the bureaucratic red tape. After all, those donations are intended for Sendong victims not for the LGU. In this manner, free from bureaucratic red tape, it can be assured that fund donations can be of its best use, for the rightful victims, at the right time. Probably, this would spell the true meaning of BANGON ILIGAN.

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by Atty. Ver Quimco

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The Right to Bail a myth? The Bernie Dacanaya case

by Cesar Padilla

After one year and seven months of incarceration in the Iligan City Jail, Bernie Dacanaya, 34 years old farmer from barangay Abuno, Iligan City rejoices when rejoined with his family after being bailed out by the Center for Alternative Legal Forum and Justice (CALL FOR JUSTICE). For Bernie, the right to bail and the right to due process are almost synonymous to myth until his case was brought by Kagawad Nilo Mejorada of Barangay Abuno to the office of CALL FOR JUSTICE for help through the latter’s Bail out Program.

Atty. Ver Quimco, CALL FOR JSUTICE President

CALL FOR JUSTICE immediately conducted interviews with barangay official, relatives of the detainee and jail personnel and other informants and grasp on the background, attitude, and other information regarding the accused. CFJ also received a resolution from the Barangay Council of Abuno recommending favourably for Bernie to deserve as one of the beneficiaries of the Bail out Program. After a thorough evaluation on his case, CFJ finally bailed Bernie out from Iligan City jail.

The case of Bernie Dacanaya is just one of the many stories of unjustly detained persons, who, by reason of poverty, were deprived of their right to bail and due process.

Bernie is one of the workers often hired by his neighbour, Jelmar Cooper, in harvesting coconuts in the land tenanted by the latter. Cooper is a tenant of a parcel of land owned by Rafael Estole. He has been in charge in harvesting the coconuts since 1980.

On February 16, 2009, while in the midst of harvesting coconuts, a certain Andre Alaura, accompanied by a team of local policemen led by SP04 Pio Bacong under the command of Supt. Celso Regencia, came and claimed to be owner of the land. Confused of the situation and with fears exacerbated by the presence of police officers, the farm workers ran away except for Bernie who was on top on the coconut tree.

CALL FOR JUSTICE staff with Bernie's father and Kag. Mejorada

Bernie was arrested by the raiding team and was brought to Iligan City Prosecutor’s Office for prosecution. He was then charged for “Qualified Theft” before the Regional Trial Court - Branch 3 of Iligan City with recommended bail bond of P24,000.00 for his temporary liberty.

Meanwhile, aggrieved of what had happened, Mr. Cooper reported the incident to Mr. Estole whom he recognized as the legitimate owner of the land. He also pressed charges with the Office of the Ombudsman against the raiding policemen for killing his carabao and confiscation of his bike and bolo. Having been charged before the Office of the Ombudsman, affected policemen then made their appeal to Mr. Cooper to withdraw his charges against them. Negotiations were made before the Barangay Council of Abuno and, eventually, a settlement was reached amicably between the policemen and Mr. Cooper. The charges against the raiding policemen before the Office of the Ombudsman were withdrawn and the Mr. Cooper was paid for the lost of his carabao and his bike and bolo were returned.