FROM now on, more random inspections will be conducted inside the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC).
This after several contrabands were still being confiscated inside the jail facilities, said assistant jail warden Bobby Legaspi.
Last Thursday, inmate Maximo Cedeño was caught by PO1 Mark Henry Virtudazo of the Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC) inhaling shabu inside his cell.
“Nag-conduct ta og random inspection sa second perimeter sa CPDRC. Na-surprise ko pagtan-aw sa iyahang selda kay nagsuyop og shabu. Siya ra usa nagsuyop (We conducted a random inspection in the second perimeter of CPDRC. I was surprised to see him inhaling shabu alone in his cell),” Virtudazo said.
Cedeño denied the accusation but Virtudazo said the drug test they conducted on Cedeño on the day he was caught turned out positive.
Virtudazo also confiscated a portable DVD player inside the isolation room of suspected drug lord Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro after he was caught watching action movie with 10 other inmates.
“Binili lang daw sa selda sa itaas yung DVD player sabi ni Barok. (According to Barok they bought the DVD player at the cell upstairs),” Virtudazo said.
Due to the incident, Legaspi said the PPSC has stepped up its security measures for jail visitors.
The assistant jail warden said the drugs used by Cedeño might have been there already even before the presence of PPSC.
“We are actually positive that the drugs have been there already even before the presence of PNP. They just hide it (drugs). There are a lot of places inside the jail where they can hide the contrabands,” he said.
About 20 elements from the Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC) of Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) were stationed at CPDRC in August amid reports that a certain group was poised to spring out Alvaro and that contraband continues to slip inside the province-run jail.
Meanwhile, Legaspi said they filed charges of violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 against Cedeño at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.
“On top of murder he is facing, there is now another case for illegal possession and using of drugs,” Legaspi said.
Cedeño was placed in an isolation cell and visiting privileges granted to him and his inmates inside cell 37 have been suspended until further notice. Legaspi said there are about 30 inmates inside the cell.