Warden: Tighter security, more jail guards at CPDRC

AS SEPARATE investigations are underway to find out how the contraband, including illegal drugs, confiscated during last Tuesday Greyhound operation got in the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), the jail warden is also pushing to implement stricter security measures in the province’s facility.

Acting Jail Warden Roberto “Bobby” Legaspi said that he would be recommending implementing stricter security measures in the facility to stop the entry of contraband in the CPDRC.

“I am alarmed (with the results of the recent greyhound operation), but I am not surprised,” Legaspi told Cebu Daily News through a text message.

Legaspi was referring to the contraband confiscated during last Tuesday’s Greyhound operation, the fifth time since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office last 2016. These included 20 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated worth of P236,000, illegal gambling paraphernalia such as suertres tally sheets, P80,000 cash, and mobile phones.

Legaspi said the security measures he was recommending to the Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III included prohibiting visitors from bringing cash inside, and inspecting all food delivered through the kitchen from visiting individuals.

“We really have to strengthen our security measures, especially on food delivery. We found out that most of the drugs seized came through the canteen, and that is why we want to conduct a bidding process for future consignees to avoid conniving with the detainees. We also wanted to thoroughly inspect the food being brought in by visitors,” he said.

The CPDRC administration, as of now, has no control over the food and goods brought in through consignees.

He also asked for additional jail guards to reinforce the security measures in the CPDRC.

Legaspi also added that these suggestions are still subject of approval from Davide.

Legaspi cited the lack of manpower as the reason for his request for more additional jail guards.

He cited the 3,000 inmates housed at the 1.4 hectare CPDRC with only 60 jail guards monitoring them as one of the reasons for the entry of contraband in the provincial jail.

He said he would also ask the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) and the Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC) to spare some additional personnel to help secure the jail.

“Their presence is also needed. We are requesting the CPPO and the PPSC to spare us some of their police officers to tackle this problem because we really have limited manpower, and we don’t have that kind of expertise to solve it. We have “high-valued targets” here and it’s possible that they’re continuing their drug trade inside. In my observation, they’re getting bolder on risking to engage in illegal acts,” he added.

According to records from the PPSC, there are at least 10 drug suspects classified as high-value targets inside the CPDRC.

On the illegal gambling paraphernalia confiscated, Legaspi said it was the first time that these items were confiscated inside the jail.

He said he was not aware of illegal gambling operations inside the jail.

He also said that they were looking into the possibility that the money from the jail’s cooperative to finance the gambling operations inside.

“The money’s definitely coming from the inside. I believe they get the money from the cooperative formed among the inmates,” he said.

He also said that there are three ongoing separate investigations conducted by the CPDRC, the Cebu Provincial Police Office and the PPSC, to find out

how the shabu was brought inside, and who operated the illegal gambling activities there.

He said that after the Greyhound operations, the visiting privileges of all inmates were suspended until further notice.