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[av_heading heading=’ Phones seized in ‘surprise’ jail inspection ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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ILOILO City – No illegal drugs but six mobile phones were recovered from the male dormitory of the Iloilo City District Jail in Barangay Ungka, Jaro district yesterday.
The inspection around 4:30 a.m. also netted five SIM (subscriber identity module) cards, 30 lighters, two improvised knives, 40 packs of cigarettes, and a total of P31,000 cash.
According to Superintendent Gilbert Peremne, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) assistant regional director for operations, the inspection caught some 900 inmates by surprise.
Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Police Regional Office 6 helped the BJMP in the inspection.
“The improvised weapons recovered were not meant to inflict harm. They were used for the inmates’ livelihood projects,” said Peremne.
Inmates, meanwhile, were not allowed to have phones.
This was the second unannounced inspection at the prison facility this year. The first was in January.
The previous PDEA-6 director, Gil Pabilona, had said 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 said.
Pabilona specifically named the Iloilo City District Jail but said this modus was being practiced not only in that prison facility but in other jails being managed by BJMP.
On Aug. 15, Pabilona was reassigned to PDEA’s national headquarters.
Meanwhile, the Iloilo District Jail in Barangay Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo said it was observing a daily inspection of inmates’ cells.
The goal was to make sure there were no contrabands in the cells, said Senior Inspector Abner Zamora, warden.
“We thoroughly frisk visitors, too,” Zamora added.
The Iloilo District Jail attracted controversy in May. Several arrested women drug pushing suspects claimed they received instructions from detainees thereat.
Following this allegation, 32 jail guards were relieved from their posts. Zamora, however, insisted his men were not involved in illegal drugs./PN
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