PCAC to investigate city jail drug source

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama directed the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council to validate the allegations of a DVD vendor arrested for selling shabu that an inmate of the Cebu City Jail supplies him drugs.

This news may further delay the granting of allowance from the city to the jail guards and the jail warden.

“That’s why I’m not convinced yet of releasing the allowance. I would like to consult Elizalde who is still in America,” he said, referring to PCAC presiding officer Eugene Elizalde. Sawaib Sultan, a suspected big-time drug pusher who also sells pirated DVDs, was arrested by the police with shabu worth P150,000 during a buy-bust in Barangay Mabolo last Wednesday night.

During questioning, Sawaib, a native of Marawi in Mindanao, alleged that he gets his supply of prohibited drugs from an inmate at the Cebu City Jail.

Rama said that the accusation is no ordinary claim. He told jail warden Maria Victoria Jimenez to answer all accusations.

Jimenez said that their main problem is the practice of throwing contraband over the jail wall from outside. They call the practice “bombing.”

“Asa man diay ang mga tawo nila nga di man kakita? Patas-an ilang fence diha and put additional barbwire. Pero kinahanglan magtrabaho sa sila una sila muhatag ug rason kay the more na makapadismaya,” Rama said.

Rama warned that Jimenez’s competence might be questioned should the same incident happen again. Past jail wardens have been replaced because of their alleged remiss in securing the city jail.

Cebu City Police Office Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe said that they are willing to help the Provincial Investigation Branch investigate alleged drug operations inside the Cebu City Jail.

Buenafe said they understand that there are several limitations jail authorities are currently facing when it comes to securing jails.

Intelligence repots says that Sultan is a nephew of a drug lord who is in imprisoned in the Cebu City Jail yet is still able to run his drug business, contacting his underlings on the outside via cellular phone. — with Ryan Christopher J. Sorote/BRP (FREEMAN)