SC orders all courts to submit updates on drug-related cases

February 6, 2017

The Supreme Court has ordered all trial courts handling drug-related cases to submit reports and updates to the Office of the Court Administrator every quarter.

The order for the 955 trial courts handling drug-related cases was contained in Circular No 01-2017 issued last week by the high court through Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez.

“The submission of the quarterly status and summary reports of drug cases shall begin with the fourth quarter of 2016 covering the period October-December 2016 and continue onwards, until otherwise suspended or stopped by the OCA or the Supreme Court,” the order said.

Courts should also submit copies of orders, resolutions and decisions dismissing drug cases, including provisional dismissals, dismissals on demurrer to evidence, and acquittal of the respondent or respondents for 2016 and every month starting this year.

Last year, the SC directed 240 additional courts nationwide to handle cases involving illegal drugs.

As of May 2016, there are 128,368 pending drug-related cases being heard nationwide by 715 regional trial courts. These drug-related cases make up 29 percent of the 439, 606 total of pending cases in trial courts. DMS