Greyhound results highlight lack of city jail space, guards

Surprise Cebu City Jail inspection of kubols yields contraband

The confiscation of more contraband inside the numerous kubol-kubol or makeshift shanties made by inmates inside the Cebu City Jail during the latest version of the Operation Greyhound has highlighted the facility’s lack of space and jail guards.

Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor on police matters, said the kubol-kubol would have to be destroyed to free more space at the Cebu City Jail.

Tumulak, who was present during the latest surprise jail inspection called Oplan Galugad, cited the lack of jail guards as one of the reasons for these banned and illegal items to slip through jail security.

Tumulak was referring to the five cellular phones, bottles of Nubain, assorted drug paraphernalia and bladed weapons found during yesterday’s surprise inspection.

Yesterday’s Oplan Galugad also yielded a TV set, a videoke machine and an electric fan confiscated inside the jail shanties.

Tumulak said at present only about a hundred jail guards are assigned to secure some 4,300 inmates of the Cebu City Jail.

“The ideal number is supposedly 500,” he said.

Yesterday’s surprise inspection is also aimed to push through with the dismantling of these jail shanties to decongest the city jail.

Tumulak said that the inmates living in these shanties were earlier told to dismantle the shanties last week, but they did not heed the order.

“Tungod sa kadaghan nag inmates, kinahanglan gub-on tong kubol-kubol aron masulod ang inmates. Kay kanang kubol-kubol nakakuha man sad g’yud siya og space (Because of the number of inmates, the kubol-kubol must be dismantled to free more space inside the jail),” Tumulak said.

On Tuesday, Tumulak said the Cebu City Council would pass a resolution, asking the BJMP headquarters in Manila to add more jail guards at the city jail to prevent the entry of contraband.

The city jail, which has a capacity of 1,600 inmates, currently has 4,300 inmates.

The BJMP, however, is planning to build another building inside the jail compound especially with the P101 million budget given by the national government to the BJMP.

“Hopefully, this will help decongest the facility,” Tumulak said.

Friday dawn’s surprise inspection was initiated by Senior Supt. Arnel Peralta, the Cebu City Jail warden, who wanted the facility to be from contraband.