MALOLOS CITY – Justice Secretary Leila De Lima called for total overhaul of the country’s criminal justice system noting that attached agencies must work cohesively.
She also expressed gratitude to Alfred Mendiola, star witness against the Dominguez carjack syndicate, for his courage to testify which has become a symbol of cause for justice.
Speaking to the launch of the Five Pillar of Criminal Justice System with the theme “Katarungan at Kalikasan sa Maunlad na Lalawigan ng Bulacan” here on Monday, De Lima said that at present the country’s criminal justice system is fragmented.
“The bigger challenge now for the criminal justice system and its attach agencies is how to work together with cohesiveness,” De Lima said.
She cited Bulacan’s Five Pillar of Justice System program which she described to have gained from its innovative merger.
De Lima said one of the fruits of the innovative merger of services of the five pillars of justice system (police, prosecution, public defenders, parole and probation and the local government unit) is the impact on the life of the community.
“I commend the Bulacan Provincial Jail for having a very good community where human right and dignity is addressed,” De Lima said.
The Bulacan Provincial Jail was the place where Alfred Mendiola sought refuge last May. Mendiola is the star witness against the Dominguez carjack syndicate who are now in detention.
According to De Lima, the aura and community within the Bulacan Provincial Jail convinced Mendiola to go back and seek refuge there.
She also hailed Mendiola’s courage to remain as a government witness in the prosecution of the Dominguez Carjacking cases.
“We hope that justice will finally be served to the victims and carjacking in the country will forever be stopped,” De Lima said.
She said that Mendiola has become a symbol for the system and cause of justice in the country.
De Lima added that based on DOJ records they have a higher conviction rate when witness to the case is under the government’s witness protection program.
