Shabu in torta attempted at CPDRC

CEBU, Philippines - Barely a week after two Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center  inmates yielded drug-sniffing paraphernalia, another was discovered with suspected shabu concealed as “torta” inside the jail facility.

In a statement, the Capitol’s Public Information Office said two small packs of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu were recovered from inmate Norlynn Suico, 40, during a routine inspection.

The discovery of the drugs came less than a week after the confiscation of drug paraphernalia from inmates Geno Pilapil and Alan Pilapil. Suico came from a hearing at the Regional Trial Court Branch 26 in Argao town when the inspection was made.

The shabu packs were allegedly concealed inside packs of torta, the town’s famed delicacy.

When interviewed, Suico denied having known that there was shabu among the packs of torta, saying he simply received the packs of food from his mother after the hearing.

Suico said the food, contained in packs labeled with names, was handed over by relatives of CPDRC detainees who were also from Argao.

Meanwhile, alleged drug pusher Jocelyn Correa, who previously asserted that she sourced the illegal drugs found on her from CPDRC, has apologized for her claim, saying it actually had no basis at all.

In her affidavit, Correa asked for apology from Governor Hilario Davide III and disclosed that everything she claimed was not true. She said only made the claim to spite detainee Geno Pilapil, who once argued with her brother.

“Kadtong tanan nga akong nasulti sa media, usa kadto ka dakong bakak. Katong tanan walay kamatuoran...; usab mangayo ko ug pasaylo sa tanan (What I told the media were all lies, without truth. I ask for forgiveness),” the statement read.

The same day Suico was busted, small packs of suspected shabu were also seized from Edna Murillo, a former detainee of Talisay City Jail who supposed just visited an inmate at the facility.

Murillo, 40, resident of Pahina Central, Cebu City, was caught during a pat down made by Jail Officer 1 Geraldine Calum as part of measures  to prevent visitors from sneaking in illegal items.

The drugs were found concealed in the folded pants of Murillo, who reportedly ingested some of the packs after the discovery.

SFO3 danilo Rodriguez Jr., Talisay City Jail operations head, said that prior to Murillo’s arrest,  they received no reports on drug smuggling in the facility.

Murillo was arrested last year for theft but was freed on the same year.  Authorities are looking into the information that an inmate was the one who asked Murillo to make the attempt.

As for Suico, he said he simply accepted the packs without noticing that there were those without names.

“Wa ko kabalo ug kang kinsa tong torta kay wa may pangalan. Giingnan ko sa akong mama nga naay putos… Sayop gyod pod nako nga wa nako tan-awa daan, nagdali man sab mi’g larga pagkahuman og paniudto (I do not know for whom the packs of torta were because they were not labeled.  My mother just said there were several packs for other Argao inmates. My fault is that I did not check, as we were already in a hurry to go back after having lunch),” he told reporters, adding that he even submitted all the packs for inspection at the CPDRC.

Learning from the experience, Suico said he would no longer bring goods inside the facility other than his.

“Bahalag ingnon ta’g garbuso, akoang putos na lang gyod akong dad-on… Nganong dugangan pa man nako akong kaso nga bug-at man akong kaso(I would no longer care if they would say I am selfish, I would just bring my own pack.  Why would I add to my troubles when I am already facing a serious case)? ” he said.

A criminal case is set to be filed against Suico the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office today.

He was jailed October 2011 for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,  after he was caught selling illegal drugs.

Suico believed that somebody who bore a grudge set him up with the torta, especially that illegal drug is currently a hot issue at the jail facility following the seizure of drug paraphernalia inside a detention cell during a surprise inspection.

The inspection came after one of CPDRC’s detainees was tagged as source of illegal drugs. — (FREEMAN)