Phone smuggling into city jail: BJMP open for probe

This photo taken during one of the greyhound operations at the Cebu City Jail in 2021 shows several cellphones among the seized contraband items. A former inmate revealed that jail personnel were behind the smuggling of cellphones into the jail facility.
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CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Jail Male Dormitory is open for possible investigation regarding the accusation of a newly arrested alleged drug personality that some of their personnel are said to be responsible for allowing cellular phones to enter the facility.

This after a suspected drug personality, who was recently released from a same jail facility, alleged that the entry of cellular phones inside the facility will cost P50,000 to P60,000. He alleged that some “BJMP personnel” there allegedly allowed it to enter.

The entry of cellular phones inside the facility is strictly prohibited.

“Tagpila ang cellphone sa sulod? Tag 50 to 60 mil, kanang mga ordinary nga cellphone lang mga class A lang nga cellphone ba…mga BJMP ra man magpalusot ana,” the alleged drug personality claimed.

He added that during greyhound operations, some “big-time” inmates will coordinate with the jail personnel to hide their phones. For other inmates, they just look for a place to hide theirs units.

"Ako kung big timer ko, moingon ko nga sir hiposa sa na sir ako lang bahala. Mo ana nga, sige ako lang hipos ani. Daghan, mga karaan nga BJMP (personnel) pila na ka tuig nagserbisyo diha, mga karaan kusog magpasud og ingon ana,” the alleged drug personality said.

However, he could not name any of them.

On their part, Jail Officer 3 Blanche Bation, spokesperson of the Cebu City Jail Male Dormitory, said that Jail Superintendent Gregorio Acacio, jail warden, said that their office is “very open” to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies for possible investigation.

Bation said that the jail warden said that if the names come out and proven, they will surely file an administrative case against that person. But for their part, they have their own investigation through their intelligence and investigation unit, according to due process.

Bation cannot say the severity of the punishment, at the moment, when a personnel is proven to be complicit in this illegal act.

“Administrative case depende sa severity sa pag evolve sa kaso for this case, di ko ka comment kung for dismissal ba gyud ni siya,” said Bation

But even if these are still rumors, their intelligence and investigation unit is conducting validation in relation to it.

“Even unsa ka gamay ang mga information, ilaha gyud na i-investigate dayun. They always work on it,” Bation said

Since he was assigned to the city jail in 2020, as far as he knows, he has not known any personnel who have been charged administratively for being involved in that illegal activity. But they have heard hearsay about it.

Ang iyahang (warden) stand ra gyud is conduct proper investigation…para ma cleanse pod ang linya sa city jail, sa personnel kung involved ba gyud ang isa namo or dili. To give fairness, ganahan siya og due process,” Bation added. — GMR (FREEMAN)

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