Lawyer Virgilio Solis, the provincial administrator, told The STAR he issued the relief order for retired Superintendent Felimon Doria to pave the way for an impartial investigation.
Doria said he welcomes the investigation. He believes that the shabu was smuggled in by female visitors who, he said, are not frisked by jail guards for fear of claims of sexual harassment.
A joint team of the Special Operations Group, intelligence section of the provincial police, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the Lingayen police and lawyer Geraldine Baniqued, provincial legal officer, conducted the surprise inspection at about 3:30 p.m. the other day.
The surprise inspection was prompted by complaints to the governor’s office about the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the provincial jail.
The raid resulted in the confiscation of at least 119 grams of shabu from inmates Abelardo Punzal, Larry Lumna, Benjamin Lui and Susan Manahan, who incidentally are all detained for violations of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Punzal was tagged as the top drug personality in Region 1 (Ilocos) and Pangasinan before he was arrested last December.
Also seized during the raid were shabu paraphernalia, cellular phones, cash amounting to P33,989.50 believed to be the proceeds of the drug trade inside the jail, and $45.
Solis said he initially had the impression that the jail officials and guards were merely lax. "But we will be conducting an investigation now," he said.
Meanwhile, Solis confirmed reports that Punzal’s cell was air-conditioned.
Asked about this, Doria said, "Say amtak ed saman amay electric fan ya man revolve, not air-conditioner (What I know was they asked permission for an electric fan only, not an air-conditioner)."