COTABATO PROVINCE – The Provincial Government of Cotabato, in anticipation of the upcoming 5th Enhanced Justice on Wheels program, conducted free drug tests for qualified Indigent Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) from various jail facilities across the province.
As part of the preparations for the event, a total of 29 indigent PDLs from the North Cotabato District Jail in Amas, Kidapawan City, and other district jails in Makilala, Kabacan, Midsayap, and Pigcawayan participated in the drug testing activity, which was led by the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) Kidapawan City.
Yesterday, November 20, Monday, the drug test was administered for the second batch, with 31 PDLs expected to undergo the examination.
According to information from the Provincial Legal Office, the drug test is a prerequisite for the Drug Dependency Examination conducted by Department of Health-accredited physicians. The results of this examination, from November 20 to November 23, will serve as the basis for the court to allow or disallow a motion to plea bargain for the PDLs who have submitted a plea to lesser offenses.
Scheduled on November 30, the 5th Enhanced Justice on Wheels, a collaborative effort between Governor Emmylou Lala Taliño-Mendoza and the Supreme Court of the Philippines, aims to assist PDLs, especially those with minor cases and indigent individuals unable to afford private lawyers, in swiftly addressing their legal concerns.
