CEBU, Philippines - Two suspected drug pushers arrested by the police in Liloan town claimed to have gotten their drug supply from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.
Jocelyn Correa, 49, and neighbor Armando Agacita, 23, were arrested during a buy-bust operation in Purok Molave, Tayud, Liloan at 8:35p.m.Tuesday.
Liloan police chief, Senior Inspector Ramil Morpos, said that the suspects are considered level three pushers.
“Among mga source miingon nga daghan ang mga tawo nga mag sige og gawas-sud sa balay ani ni Correa,” Morpos said.
Based on the information received by the police, Correa had just started the illegal activity.
“Kani si Correa bag-ohay palang ni siya aning pagpamaligya sa shabu so siya sa silbi ang parok o ang tigbuak, tig dispose ug tig-repack sa mga shabu,” Morpos explained.
Seized from Correa were four medium packs of shabu worth P10,000 and the small pack used in the buy-bust operation including the P200 marked-money.
Morpos said Correa admitted her drug supply allegedly came from CPDRC.
“Naa siya’y ginganlan nga tawo adto sa CPDRC pero wala hinuon siya musulti kong polis ba o piniriso pero amo pa pod ipa-check ngadto kung ni-exist ba gyud ang tawo nga ginganlan aning suspek,” Morpos said.
Provincial Intelligence Branch chief, Supt. Rodulfo Albotra, said he will coordinate with the provincial jail to verify the information.
CPDRC warden Romeo Manansala identified the person mentioned by Correa as Geno Pilapil, 27, who is detained for drug possession.
Manansala said he immediately ordered an inspection in Pilapil’s cell after receiving report that he was named as drug supplier of Correa. During the inspection, several drug paraphernalia and electronic gadgets were found inside his cell.
Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III directed the jail management to conduct an investigation into the smuggling of drug paraphernalia and other illegal items inside the jail.
Manansala said he will coordinate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 and Cebu Provincial Police Office for another inspection.
“Ato pud i-verify unsa katinuod nga ang source gikan diri. Unya giunsa pud paglusot ang paraphernalia, we have to investigate that,” he said.
Pending investigation, Pilapil was placed under isolation while visiting schedule at the jail is temporarily suspended starting today.
The CPDRC management admitted it lacks the screening measures to detect entry of drugs.
“Perennial problem na gyod kanang entry of drugs, naa gyoy makalusot bisan giistrikto namo na og maayo,” said Marco Toral, Capitol’s consultant on jail matters.
Toral added he would request CPPO director Noel Gillamac to detail drug sniffing dogs to augment security inside CPDRC.
In a separate interview, Pilapil denied involvement in any drug transactions outside the jail, adding that he even has no knowledge about Correa who pointed to him as her supplier.
“Pagmata nako ganihang buntag murag nahugno akong kalibutan nganong na-involve man ko ani nga naa man ko sulod sa prisohan. Wa gud mi cellphone, unsaon man nako pag-communicate nila. Usa pa nganong nakahimo man sila og accusation nga wa man ko kaila ana nila,” he lamented, adding that he is willing to undergo drug test to prove his claim.
Pilapil was detained in cell 115 where cellphones, pocket wifi, electric wires and drug paraphernalia were recovered by CPDRC personnel.
Aside from Pilapil, a certain Allan Pilapil, 44, detainee and brother of Correa, has also been placed in another isolation cell. — (FREEMAN)