After jailed ‘drug lord’ killed; Baybay City Jail warden, his 15 personnel relieved

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Senior Superintendent Efren Nemenio, regional director of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Region 8 yesterday ordered the immediate relief of the warden and his 15 personnel of the Baybay City Jail.

The order was issued after a detained “drug lord” was killed by police operatives while serving a search warrant inside his detention cell.

Nemenio said jail warden, Senior Jail Officer 4 Jimmy Topia was immediately sacked from his post and his entire staff manning the 51 inmates of the Baybay City Jail to pave the way for a thorough investigation by the in-house investigators of the BJMP-8.

“Malaking dagok ito sa bureau, and I have to relieve them while investigation is going on to determine kung papaano nakapasok ang illegal drugs at armas ng suspect (the detained drug lord),” Nemenio told The Freeman.

Police authorities said that the prisoner, Ferdinand Balagtis, was killed after he engaged in a gunfight against the operatives who were serving a search warrant inside the jail. This prompted the police to retaliate and the ensuring shootout resulted in the death of Balagtis.

A .45-caliber pistol was seized near the body of the slain detainee and seven sachets of shabu inside his cell.

Balagtis, who was among the drug men of the Kerwin Espinosa drug syndicate operating in Leyte province, was earlier arrested by operatives of the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

However, even inside his detention, Balagtis continued his illegal drug trade operation, as confirmed by police authorities, thus the issuance of the search warrant against him.

Nemenio further said Topis was replaced by Jail Inspector Lourdes Noveda, and personnel from the BJMP-8 regional office will take over as the new staff to man the Baybay City Jail, while investigation continues into the incident.

“This is for the purpose of the administrative proceedings na puwede sa kanilang makapagpa-dismisss sa serbisyo, considering na may kinalaman ito sa drugas,” Nemenio told The Freeman. (FREEMAN)