Suspected shabu, phones seized in two Pototan jails

By Jennifer P. Rendon

ILOILO CITY — Suspected shabu, drug paraphernalia and two mobile phones were seized during surprise searches Monday, Sept. 14, at the Iloilo District Jail Male Dormitory and its annex in Barangay Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo.

Jail Chief Inspector Juniven Rey Umadhay, spokesperson for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Western Visayas (BJMP-6), said about three grams of suspected shabu were recovered from a cell at the annex. One mobile phone was found in each facility.

“For now, we’re still confirming the identities of the PDL (person deprived of liberty) who owned the shabu and the mobile phones,” he said.

No deadly weapons were found during the searches.

The joint searches, known as greyhound operations, were conducted with support from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), following a directive from BJMP-6 regional director Jail Chief Superintendent Elena Rocamora to prevent contraband from being smuggled into jails across the region.

The seized items have been submitted to PDEA for processing.

Meanwhile, Umadhay said all personnel, including the jail warden, would be investigated for possible neglect of duty.

He said the warden could also be held liable under the doctrine of command responsibility if the evidence warrants it.

“The BJMP-6 would file appropriate administrative case against those liable,” Umadhay said.

Under Executive Order No. 226, government supervisors may be held accountable for neglect of duty if they know an offense is planned, ongoing or has occurred within their area of responsibility but fail to take preventive or corrective action.

All persons deprived of liberty also underwent drug testing during the operations, Umadhay said.

The Iloilo District Jail Male Dormitory currently houses about 1,500 detainees, while the annex holds 766.