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[av_heading heading=’‘PUSHER’ ADMITS JAIL LINK | But warden denies IDJ drug deals’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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Monday, May 8, 2017
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ILOILO City – A woman drug pushing suspect arrested in Barangay Tubungan, Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo confessed to getting her shabu supply from two inmates at the Iloilo District Jail (IDJ) in Barangay Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo.
The 42-year-old Josefina Doctora of Barangay Poblacion Ilaya, Barotac Nuevo was arrested around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday after selling a sachet of shabu to an undercover police officer.
The police recovered five more sachets concealed in her underwear and bra.
During interrogation, Doctora named her suppliers as IDJ inmates Pakloy Alarba and Marko dela Cruz.
Prior to meeting her buyer that turned out to be a policeman of Barotac Nuevo, Doctora visited Alarba and dela Cruz at the IDJ, said Senior Police Officer 4 Glenn Azucena, Barotac Nuevo deputy police chief.
IDJ warden Senior Inspector Abner Zamora confirmed that Doctora was a visitor on Saturday.
She entered the prison facility around 1:30 p.m. and left around 4:30 p.m., as indicated in the IDJ logbook.
Zamora, however, said Doctora sought a meeting with her “friend” Alarba only.
Alarba was in detention for a robbery case.
“She did not seek out dela Cruz,” Zamora told Panay News.
Dela Cruz was in jail for an illegal drug case.
“I don’t believe Doctora got her shabu from inside the jail. We’re very thorough in frisking visitors,” said Zamora.
The warden had been on the defensive since last week following the arrest of three women drug pushing suspects one of whom claimed their supplier was an IDJ inmate. He denied reports that detainee Ken Mark Pineda was giving instructions to the women.
“It is impossible for them to have any communication with Pineda. They did not even have any record in our logbook to have visited the prison facility,” said Zamora.
The warden said he confronted Pineda about the latter’s alleged illegal drug transactions but the detainee denied ever meeting or knowing the women.
Jennie Bee Goriona, 37, and Vivien Sian, 37, were arrested in Barangay Benedicto, Jaro, Iloilo City on April 30. Shabu worth P1.1 million was seized from them.
The other woman drug suspect, 38-year-old Susan Sobrepeña, was collared in Barangay San Pedro, Molo, Iloilo City district hours after the two were apprehended.
Fifty sachets of shabu worth around half a million pesos were recovered from Sobrepeña.
Zamora expressed doubt on the buy-bust operation of the Barotac Nuevo police that netted Doctora on Saturday.
“The police said they tailed Doctora after she left the IDJ until they busted her in Barotac Nuevo. Why didn’t they just inform me about her? I could have ordered a thorough inspection of the suspect before she left the jail,” said Zamora.
The travel from Pototan to Barotac Nuevo was of considerable distance, he added.
“Who knows, Doctora may have gotten her shabu from someone else while traveling,” said Zamora.
According to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6 director Gil Pabilona recently, jails appeared to be the “weakest link” in the war against illegal drugs.
From their cells, detained drug personalities continue to direct the operation of their minions outside, he revealed.
He specifically named the Iloilo City District Jail – Male Dormitory in Barangay Ungka, Jaro district but said this modus was being practiced not only in that prison facility but in other jails being overseen by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
“The illegal drugs supply in Iloilo will not stop unless those people inside the jail will stop directing their people outside what to do,” stressed Pabilona./PN
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