Man jailed for sneaking shabu into CPDRC

CEBU, Philippines - Instead of visiting an inmate at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City, a motorcycle-for-hire driver will soon be joining his friend after he was arrested and detained for possessing shabu last Tuesday afternoon.

Alvin Pitogo, 21, of Barangay Yati, Liloan was about to enter CPDRC when security guards Tigle Resolis and Hermes Malubay, assigned at Gate 1, held him after discovering the small packet of shabu.

Col. Cesar Veloso, capitol consultant on security matters, told The FREEMAN that the contraband was discovered stashed in one of the seams of the shorts as they were doing a routine inspection.

Pitogo, who was only delivering some food and two pairs of shorts inside CPDRC, was arrested after a sachet of white crystalline substance was recovered from one of the shorts he was allegedly trying to sneak into the facility.

According to Veloso, Pitogo simply handed over the goods to the guards hoping that it would pass the receiving area but he was instead apprehended by the guards.

Pitogo’s delivery was intended for inmate Dante Jalang, who was brought to the penitentiary early that afternoon at 2 p.m. He was charged with illegal possession of firearms and illegal drugs.

Veloso said that upon further interrogation, Pitogo admitted that he was going to give the shabu to Jalang for his personal consumption.

He added that Pitogo’s arrest will serve as a warning for others who are attempting to do the same illegal act.

“If gamay ang dala dugay gyud mabantayan pero we are doing inspections of visitors in securing the jail,” he said.

According to Veloso, the alleged drugs were already sent to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory at Camp Sotero Cabahug, Gorordo Ave, Cebu City for chemical analysis.   He said that similar incidents have also been recorded earlier this year but all failed as their system proved enough to combat such illegal activates.

 However, most of the cases were later proved to be bogus after the confiscated contrabands were tested to be only tawas, he said. 

“Dili kaayo problema ang drugs kay dali raman sila (inmates) ma-monitor kay wala man sila mag huot,” Veloso said.  

In fact, according to him, this can be proven by their active dancing inmates.

“We are very strict especially with our dancing inmates kay kun naka drogas sila di sila ka sayaw ug tarong,” he said. — (FREEMAN)