INTERIOR Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos has vowed to conduct surprise inspections and drug tests in jails being managed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), an agency under the interior department.
Abalos issued the statement last Tuesday during a visit to the BJMP national headquarters in Quezon City amid reports that drug lords continue to peddle illegal drugs even if they are in jails.
“I will personally go to our jails and I will be conducting surprise drug testing of BJMP personnel and PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) in those jails. I’m ordering urinalysis in jails,” said Abalos.
“So, I’m warning each and every BJMP warden and personnel, if you test positive, then it means drugs were able to enter our jail facilities,” Abalos said.
The DILG said there are 131,193 PDLs or inmates presently incarcerated in 477 jails nationwide, with a congestion rate of 387 percent, while there are 18,696 BJMP personnel.
“Sometimes, there are rumors that some big-time drug lords are operating in jails themselves. The issue here is communication. How are they (drug lords) able to contact people who are outside?” asked Abalos.
“We need to cut their communication. They use phones to conduct their drug trade. So, we need signal jammers to stop their communication outside,” he added.
Abalos also said he wants PDLs to undergo medical screening and physical examination prior to their admission to BJMP facilities amid the threat of monkeypox disease.
Meanwhile, police operatives arrested two suspected drug dealers and seized P43.5 million worth of suspected shabu and other illegal drugs in Quezon City yesterday.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) identified the suspects as Alvin Rapinan, 26, and his live-in partner, Rizal Bilbao, 25, residents of Barangay San Roque, Cubao, Quezon City.
The two were nabbed by operatives of the QCPD Stations 7 and 2 at around 2:30 a.m. along 16th Ave. in Barangay Roque during a buy-bust operation.
Seized from them were 1.5 kilos of shabu worth P10.2 million, 85 kilos of marijuana worth P10.2 million, 35 kilos of kush worth P4.9 million, a kilo of cocaine worth P5.3 million, and 7,594 pieces of ecstasy worth P4.9 million.
