Drugs worth P30,000 seized from inmate

CEBU, Philippines - Illegal drugs worth P30,000 were seized following a surprise inspection inside the Cebu City Jail early Saturday morning.

Jail warden Johnson Calub said that they seized 164 sachets of suspected shabu and 10 rolled dried marijuana leaves from the cell of Ruseller Diabelos, of Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City.

Diabelos was jailed in 2010 for illegal drugs.

Calub said after they received a tip that the drugs were smuggled into the jail last week he immediately directed his chief custodian to inspect Diabelos’ cell.

SJO3 Arnel Jayme, jail security chief, said they recovered the drugs inside a white plastic container near a box containing suspected drug money.

Diabelos quickly denied ownership of the drugs but admitted owning the money.

“When inmates were asked who owned the contrabands, Diabelos quickly denied but said that he owned the money,” he said.

Calub said Diabelos accomplice did well in hiding the contraband from their security measures and Diabelos, after receiving the drugs from his accomplice, managed to repack the shabu without being noticed by security personnel.

The seized drugs are estimated to have a street value of around P30,000.

Jail authorities are preparing charges against the suspect for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Public Safety Company uprooted last Sunday 400 marijuana stalks in Sitio Sangkugi, Barangay Sudlon, Cebu City.

Supt. Carmelo Dayon, CCPSC chief, said a local barangay tanod who accidentally found the abandoned plantation tipped them off.

Each stalk can be sold P350 each.

It was reported that the cultivator of the lot where the marijuana was uprooted was recently jailed for murder.

Dayon said there may be other similar plantations scattered throughout the mountain barangays of the city.  (FREEMAN)