By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
AUTHORITIES yesterday raided prison cells at the Lumbia jail, and discovered supplies of suspected shabu stashed by inmates, weapons, and tools that can be used for a prisonbreak.
Chief Supt. Deogracias Tapayan, chief of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), ordered an investigation in order to identify jail personnel who should be held liable.
The BJMP said some 11 detention cells in the city jail supplies of suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia, knives, icepicks, tools, and various kinds of metal.
Authorities also seized things that are prohibited inside the Lumbia jail like cigarette supplies, flash disks, and some P47 thousand in cash. At the Lumbia jail, inmates are told to deposit their money for safekeeping and ask jailers if they need some.
Since 2011, inmates across the country have been forbidden to enjoy even a simple cigarette.
“Cigarettes have been considered as acontraband because the cases of tuberculosis in the jails are steadily rising,” said a jail officer.
Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease. The congestion rate in the jails here in northern Mindanao, as of Sept. last year is at 267%, according to the BJMP website.
Under BJMP’s Memorandum Circular 2011-05, encourages “personnel and inmates to quit smoking for health reasons and to protect people from exposure to second hand smoke.”
“Any inmate found violating these guidelines shall be charged with the offense of committing any act prejudicial to good order and discipline” classified as a Grave Offense under Sec. 9 para c (24) Rule 2, Chapter 1, Book 2 of the Revised BJMP Manual 2007.
Tapayan said the inspection cum raid was carried out by authorities from the BJMP, police, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as part of their “Oplan Gray Horn” in compliance to an order from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Senen Sarmiento.
He said the thrust now is to fully implement safe keeping and security measures in all prison facilities in the country.
Tapayan said the BJMP’s disciplinary board has been tasked to start an investigation so as to determine who among the Lumbia jail personnel should be held accountable.
He said, “Duna gayoy atong mga jail personnel nga mag-atobang investigation ug administrative cases tungod niini nga mga kontrabando. Ngano nga nakasulod kini sa mga silda?”
Tapayan said the same board would determine what punishment erring jailers deserve. (with cong b. corrales)
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
