Inmates caught selling drugs in jail inspection
TWO tarantulas, one LCD projector, three cellphones and some accessories were confiscated by officials of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) in a surprise greyhound operation in the facility yesterday morning.
Marco Toral, Capitol consultant on security and jail matters, told reporters that the operation ensued after they received reports from the inmates’ appointed prison mayor Lito Granada.
The operation also showed that 14 inmates in the facility sold drugs inside the facility.
“Gipaningkamutan namo nga ma-drug-free ang CPDRC. Taman sa among mahibaw-an nga hungihong nga ing-ana, among buhatan in cooperation with Granada (We’re doing our best so that CPDRC will be drug-free. We would always conduct operations if we receive reports and rumors like that, in cooperation with Granada),” Toral said.
Toral said the tarantulas were kept in plastic cages by some inmates and treated as pets.
He said the projector was reportedly used by the inmates to watch movies inside their cells at night.
But while several similar operations were done by the jail management before, Toral admitted they still have no idea how contraband kept getting inside the CPDRC.
He said they also catch visitors of inmates smuggling prohibited items inside like cellphones.
Toral said they are investigating jail guards who may be conspiring with inmates in smuggling the contraband.
He said the province has a reward scheme for guards who report on other guards engaged in smuggling contraband and other illegal acts but they still haven’t rewarded anyone.
Granada said the 14 inmates caught selling drugs inside have been monitored for a couple of weeks before they got caught last week.
“Amo silang giparusahan. Gibunalan ug paddle, gibartolina para makahinumdom sila sa ilang sala (We punish them. We hit them with paddles and lock them up so that they remember their wrongdoings),” he said.
Toral said the inmates were caught with the help of Granada and a couple of other inmates trained by the management to act like tanods among the other inmates.
He said an operation, similar to a buy-bust, was conducted which led to the discovery of the illegal drugs trade inside.
Toral said the trained inmates were given P100 and roamed around the jail asking inmates if somebody is selling illegal drugs.
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