The House of Representatives has passed a bill that would establish a drug court in the CNMI.<\/p>\n
Legislators unanimously passed House Bill 19-94 last week on first and final reading. It has been transmitted to the Senate and, if approved, will go to Gov. Eloy S. Inos for signing.<\/p>\n
The proposed legislation seeks to establish the drug court \u201cwithin the Commonwealth Superior Court,\u201d which will inform the Legislature of the funding needed to set up the drug court.<\/p>\n
The bill was introduced by House Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan).<\/p>\n
The \u201cdrug court\u201d is different from a \u201cregular\u201d court because it will have \u201cspecialized\u201d personnel handling drug cases.<\/p>\n
According to Rep. Joseph Lee Pan Guerrero (R-Saipan), the drug court will have a psychologist and treatment provider, among others, who are equipped with the necessary specialties to handle drug cases.<\/p>\n
Guerrero, a former CNMI chief of Parole, said the drug court is an integral part of fighting drugs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe drug court can recommend different treatments. The court can recommend a diversion program, instead of incarceration,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said the psychologist and treatment provider will assist the drug user to complete a prescribed program recommended by the court. And if the offender fails to complete the program, it is only then that incarceration becomes an option.<\/p>\n
\u2018War on ice\u2019
\nThe bill was proposed to battle the proliferation of drug cases in the CNMI, in particular methamphetamine or \u201cice,\u201d which lawmakers said has affected an alarming number of families and communities.<\/p>\n
Rep. Antonio Sablan (Ind-Saipan) earlier said a majority of crimes committed are directly or indirectly related to \u201cice.\u201d<\/p>\n
In July, CNMI law enforcement agencies conducted a successful drug bust, and in the process confiscated about 12 kilos of \u201cice\u201d valued at $4.3 million.<\/p>\n
Sen. Sixto Igisomar (R-Saipan) has earlier initiated a campaign against the illegal drug, while Rep. Edwin K. Propst (Ind-Saipan) introduced legislation against peddlers.<\/p>\n
Propst\u2019s proposed legislation seeks the forfeiture of the assets of convicted drug peddlers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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