City jail officials told to be vigilant

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella has directed City jail officials to be vigilant in accommodating jail visitors and to monitor the activities of the inmates.

Labella, who is acting city mayor, issued the order after learning of the reports that a suspected drug pusher arrested in Liloan town claimed to have gotten drug supply from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

Labella, however, said that City jail warden Johnson Calub reported to him that inspections in cells have been made and no illegal drugs and other illegal items were found.

 “Si Superintendent Calub has already been instructed to be very strict and siksikon gyud og maayo ang mga visitors nga babaye, babaye pud ang warden nga mo-check og maayo,” Labella said, adding that there were findings that there are jail visitors who tried to smuggle illegal drugs by placing it in private parts.

Labella said that there should be no distinction whether young or old, male or female everybody should be subjected to thorough body search.

“Pero, kani no, that’s the primary responsibility of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, support ra man gyud ning sa local government,” he said.

Meanwhile, Labella commends the Philippine National Police, Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC), and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 for the consecutive successful buy-bust operations.

He urged everybody to help in the fight against illegal drugs, especially the officials in coastal barangays.

“Ang problema sa drugas, dili lang problema sa PDEA kun dili problema na sa tanan,” he said.

Labella said that every town, municipal, and city has their own coastlines, and no one oversees the activities of small bancas and pump boats.

He said that PCAC’s next meeting will be held in Barangay Pasil, adding that officials from different coastal barangays are invited to apprise them of the need to be vigilant.

He said that PCAC and PDEA want the barangay officials to be educated on how to watch and inspect the pump boats coming from different islands.— (FREEMAN)