Gov’t files motion to extend drug war files submission

It was signed by OSG Officer-in-Charge and Assistant Solicitor General Henry Angeles and other Assistant Solicitor Generals Renan Ramos, Rex Bernardo Pascual, Ma. Cielo Se-Rondin, Herman Cimafranka, Myrna Agno, and Marissa Macaraig-Guillen, since Soligictor General Jose Calida is on leave. (PNA photo)

The government filed a compliance with motion for extension of time to submit additional documents before the Supreme Court (SC) in relation to the administration’s campaign to eradicate illegal drugs.

“The respondents respectfully request an extension of sixty days from April 26, 2018, or until June 25, 2018, to submit the other documents required by this Honorable Court,” the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG)’s motion wrote.

While the OSG representing the police complied by submitting at least 30 case folders in response to the SC’s order dated December 5, 2017 and Resolution dated April 3, 2018, it also asked for the 60-day extension.

“The respondents need additional time to submit the other documents required by the Court because said documents will still be collected and violated,” it added.

The submitted documents included the case folders of Ryan Dave Tuazon Almora, Rex Appari, Conrado Beroña III, Ryan Eder, Jomar Manaois, Jefferson Soriano, and Willie Ternora.

The OSG’s motion was dated April 26, but the media was only able to secure a copy on May 16, Wednesday.

It was signed by OSG Officer-in-Charge and Assistant Solicitor General Henry Angeles and other Assistant Solicitor Generals Renan Ramos, Rex Bernardo Pascual, Ma. Cielo Se-Rondin, Herman Cimafranka, Myrna Agno, and Marissa Macaraig-Guillen, since Solicitor General Jose Calida is on leave.

The SC’s order on December last year, required the Philippine National Police (PNP) to submit documents containing the list of persons who died in police operations and are under investigation from July 1, 2016 to November 30, 2017; list of Chinese and Filipino-Chinese drug lords arrested from 2003 to 2017; and other drug-related documents like watch lists, memorandums, summary of cases, etc.

This order was issued after two petitions were submitted to the SC questioning the legality of the government’s war on drugs.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s campaign has also drawn critics nationally and internationally, even prompting the International Criminal Court (ICC) to conduct a preliminary investigation.