Press Release
February 2, 2016

SEN. GRACE POE OPENING STATEMENT
FOR THE AKSYON RADYO HEARING

Magandang Umaga po.

This public hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs is called to order.

On 10 December 2015, your Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs held a legislative meeting in the Session Hall of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol in Iloilo City to gather facts and information in relation to Proposed Senate Resolution Nos. 1673 and 1674 filed by Sen. Nancy Binay and this representation regarding the brazen attempt by alleged members of a local drug syndicate to enter and attack the DYOK Aksyon Radyo Iloilo ("Aksyon Radyo").

Said legislative meeting was attended by provincial, city and barangay officials of Iloilo, the PDEA, PNP, DILG, officials from the Pardons and Parole Office, officers of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), members of local media, the station manager of Aksyon Radyo and one of those who entered and attacked the radio station.

After three (3) hours of discussions, presentations, reports and statements, the legislative meeting yielded the following facts, among others:

Number 1:

Mr. John Paul Tia ("Mr. Tia"), Station Manager of Aksyon Radyo, showed CCTV footages and narrated in full as to what happened in their radio station. In a nutshell, more or less, twenty (20) men who appeared to be armed stormed into the premises of Aksyon Radyo but failed to enter the building and their leader removed one (1) CCTV camera and then they all fled. Three (3) of these men were identified as MELVIN ODICTA SR., the group's leader, MELVIN ODICTA JR., his son, and JESUS "JING JING" ESPINOSA, a barangay kagawad of Monica-Blumentritt, Iloilo City.

Number 2:

The release from imprisonment of Melvin Odicta Sr. and Jing Jing Espinosa was questioned as members of the media maintained that their release seems not to be in order for lack of proper documents to back it up.

Number 4:

PDEA officials reiterated their request for the inclusion of drug-related cases in the exceptions of the Anti-Wiretapping Law. PDEA officials expressed their difficulty in pinning down the leaders of drug syndicates because said leaders do not possess, sell, trade, manufacture or transport drugs directly and that they exercise COMMAND AND CONTROL over their underlings.

Number 5:

The PDEA reported on the status of the Province of Iloilo and Iloilo City in relation to the problems on illegal drugs.

Number 6:

The members of the media, however, maintained that the problem on illegal drugs still persists in Iloilo despite all the statistics that came from the PDEA, PNP and the LGUs. The President and National Director of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) offered suggestions and new approaches in battling illegal drugs such as going after the financials and bank records of durglords.

Number 7:

Mr. Tia lamented PNP's failure to resolve previous cases of harassment perpetrated against Aksyon Radyo. He likewise informed the Committee of their lack of trust to their local police. He further claimed that the local drug syndicates have people inside the local police.

Those were some of the highlights of the legislative meeting in Iloilo City. Before said meeting was ended, we pinpointed particular actions to be taken, namely:

1. Study of the possibility of introducing the concept of plea bargaining in our Dangerous Drugs Act to lure members of drug syndicates to turn on their bosses/leaders;

2. With PDEA's recommendation, the passage of relaxing the Wire Tapping Law in cases of terrorism and drug trafficking must be hastened;

3. To fully implement the existing memorandum order on the activation of the anti-drug councils in each local government, citizens' participation must be encouraged;

4. The cases filed against Melvin Odicta Sr., Melvin Odicta Jr and Jing Jing Espinosa must be monitored and safeguarded closely;

5. The dubious release from imprisonment of Melvin Odicta Sr. and Jing Jing Espinosa must be investigated;

6. The PNP and PDEA must look into the allegations made by Iloilo City Councilor Nava against Jing Jing Espinosa and other disclosures made; and

7. The PNP's Internal Affairs Service must likewise look into the alleged involvement of some local police with the local drug syndicates.

Ngayong umaga, narito po tayo sa Senado bilang simbolo na rin na ang pakikipag-pulong natin sa taumbayan at opisyales sa probinsya at siyudad sa labas ng Metro Manila ay magdudulot ng mga aksyon at pagkilos ng ating National Government. Nais nating ipakita na ang ating laban kontra iligal na droga ay walang pinipiling lugar o siyudad o probinsya, walang pinipiling personalidad, walang pinipiling oras at walang atrasan. Nais din nating ipakita ang kagandahang naidudulot ng partisipasyon at kooperasyon ng ating BARANGAY ANTI-DRUG ABUSE COUNCILS at ang ating local government units hanggang sa lebel ng barangay. Nais din nating ipakita na handa tayong pagtibayin at palakasin ang ating mga batas upang tugunan ang kaakibat na paglala ng problema ng iligal na droga.

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