Plea Bargaining Agreement: Its Impact To Drug Police Operations In Sta. Mesa Police Station – Manila

Plea bargaining in criminal cases is a process whereby the accused and the prosecution work out a mutually satisfactory disposition of the case, subject to court approval (daan vs. Sandiganbayan, g.R. Nos. 163972-77). The supreme court (sc) has issued new guidelines that enhanced and clarified plea bargaining in illegal drug cases where an accused seeks to plead guilty to a lesser offense for a lighter penalty. The purpose of the study is to assess the impact of plea bargaining agreements on drug police operations in sta. Mesa police station, manila. The respondents were PNP personnel of sta. Mesa police station (ps-8) currently and formerly designated as station drug enforcement unit and selected barangay anti-drug abuse council (badac) members wherein persons who availed plea bargaining reside were the respondents of the study. The area of study was done at sta. Mesa police station (ps-8), manila. Santa Mesa is a district in Manila, Philippines. It was found out that the PNP personnel assessed believed that the persons who entered plea bargaining agreements have fully supported the police officers in drug police operations. An operational plan was developed to increase support for the plea bargaining agreement among arrested drug suspects.