CCPO seeks BJMP help in drug war

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is now coordinating with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to address the proliferation of drugs from the jails.

CCPO director Col. Engelbert Soriano said most of their drug hauls are said to have come from people inside the jails. Negotiations were allegedly done through the use of cellphones.

According to Soriano, most of those arrested claimed that their supply came from their contacts inside the jails.

“Ang intelligence officer natin ngayon ay nasa Camp Crame for a briefing and to get instructions directly from our chief PNP tungkol nga dito sa campaign natin and one of the major concerns ay yung posibleng galing sa loob ng jail yung source ng transaction,” Soriano said.

Soriano said the problem could be addressed only through an inter-agency coordination. He said it is undeniable that drugs have infiltrated the jail facilities.

“Unfortunately over populated sila at meron pa talagang drugs na nakakapasok as evidence na may drugs na nakuha natin sa loob,” Soriano said referring to the results of the past greyhound operations in the Cebu City Jail.

Soriano has also encouraged all his station commanders to conduct a “one-time, big time” operation every day.

Meanwhile, Soriano said none of the 80 barangays in Cebu City is ready to be declared as drug-free barangay. He said that for a barangay to be declared drug-free there has to be an absence of any form of illegal drugs, no arrest, and no illegal drug activity.

Unfortunately, Soriano said none of the city barangays is qualified. He said that even the mountain barangays are affected by the drug problem. In fact, some mountain barangays become hosts to marijuana plantations.

Soriano has also reminded his men not to be involved in the illegal drugs.

“Ang number one directive ko is wala dapat makinabang ng droga sa amin, yun ang root cause kung bakit nag ta-thrive yan kasi baka merong nagpo-protect,” Soriano said.

He, however, could not be sure if none of his men are protecting illegal drugs.

“Kasi kung walang mag po-protect matatakot din yan sa area nila, alanganin, hopefully wala sa amin,” he added.  FPL (FREEMAN)