SC orders 240 more courts to handle increasing drug-related cases

By: Tetch Torres-Tupas - 8 years ago

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered 240 additional trial courts nationwide to handle drug cases following the steady rise of new drug-related cases.

Court records showed that there are currently 128,368 pending drug-related cases being heard nationwide by 715 regional trial courts.

“This number would be insufficient considering the steady rise of new drug-related cases,” high court’s Information Chief Atty. Theodore Te said at a press conference.

Of the 715 trial courts, 65 are designated as special anti-drugs courts exclusively handling anti-drugs cases, while 529 regional trial courts have been designated to handle drug-related cases on top of other regular case loads, and the 121 family courts also handle drug-related cases.

“By its action today, the Court has effectively authorized all the 955 organized trial courts across the country to hear, try and decide drug cases,” Te said, adding that a guideline will soon be released on how to expedite the handling of drug cases.

At the same time, Te said Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno urged Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre to appoint more prosecutors and public attorneys for the additional courts “so as not to unduly delay these cases pending before these courts.” JE