BACOLOD City — A jail officer of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) assigned to the Negros Occidental District Jail (NODJ)–Male Dormitory in Bago City recovered two sachets of suspected shabu and dried marijuana leaves during a routine and intensified security inspection on Tuesday afternoon.
The recovery occurred at around 3:38 p.m. on December 23, when the contraband was discovered inside a zip-lock plastic container concealed within a homemade kalan (stove) brought into the facility by a jail visitor.
Authorities identified the visitor as alias “James,” a resident of Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City.
Initial investigation revealed that the improvised stove containing the suspected illegal drugs was intended for a friend who is a person deprived of liberty (PDL) currently detained at the facility for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
The confiscation was carried out in the presence of mandated government officials and media representatives, in accordance with established procedures to ensure transparency and preserve the integrity and evidentiary value of the seized items, according to Jail Senior Inspector Atty. Juniven Rey Umadhay, regional spokesperson of the BJMP.
The interception comes amid recent complaints from some relatives and friends of PDLs regarding the strict security measures being enforced at the facility under the leadership of Jail Superintendent Crisyrel P. Awe, NODJ warden.
Atty. Umadhay clarified that the protocols are lawful, necessary, and essential to prevent the entry of contraband and to ensure the safety and security of persons deprived of liberty, jail personnel, and visitors.
Jail Chief Superintendent Brendan O. Fulgencio, regional director of the BJMP–Negros Island Region (NIR), commended the vigilance and professionalism of the jail officer who discovered the contraband.
The BJMP–NIR reiterated its commitment to maintaining safe, secure, and humane jail facilities while strictly enforcing policies against the entry of illegal drugs and other prohibited items in all detention centers./PN
