Senator Robert Z

Senator Robert Z. Barbers, chairman of the Senate Public Order and Illegal Drugs Committee, asked the House of Representatives to pass a bill that sought to impose a one-year jail term and a P100,000 fine on any law enforcer who intentionally or negligently refused to appear as a witness for the prosecution in drug cases. Barbers issued the call after stating that his studies on the issue indicated that the dominant reason behind the dismissal of drug cases in Metro Manila courts was the failure of the prosecution witnesses, mostly the arresting law enforcement officers, to appear and testify against drug suspects. Barbers stated that the government could have executed or scheduled to execute drug traffickers if the law enforcement officers who had made the arrests appeared in court. Barbers said he strongly believed that the enactment into law of his bill would greatly help put many of the people behind the illegal drug trade behind bars and into the execution chambers.