68 jails certified as drug-free

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 68 jails under the supervision of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) have been certified as drug-free facilities by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), an official said yesterday.

BJMP chief Director Deogracias Tapayan said the bureau still needs to double its efforts to clear other jails of illegal drugs.

“We have 481 facilities nationwide. It’s a long way to go but we will not stop, no matter who gets affected,” he said.

Topping the list is BJMP Regional Office 1 with 17 jails certified as drug-free during the Oplan Linis Piitan conducted in partnership with the PDEA and the Philippine National Police.

The Drug-Free Certification Program is a pioneering project of the BJMP to counter illegal drug operations in jails.

Tapayan said a jail can be certified as drug-free if no illegal drugs were found during a series of searches under Operation Greyhound. This must be validated by the PDEA, PNP and other agencies, he added.

He said jail officials must also be consistent in enforcing anti-illegal drug campaigns in the jail’s community.

Another requirement is the conduct of random drug testing among inmates and personnel, including the jail warden.