ILLEGAL DRUGS BREAKS IN 'LAX' PROVINCIAL JAIL

PANGASINAN -- Security inside the Pangasinan provincial jail is so lax it is
no wonder illegal drugs have found their way inside the facility, according
to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

This as provincial jail warden retired police Col. Felimon Doria had already
been formally charged for breach and is on a 90-day preventive suspension.

A special operations group of the Pangasinan Provincial Police Office
confiscated an estimated 119 grams of shabu from some drug personalities
detained at the provincial jail in a surprise inspection conducted on May
27.

Baniqued said it was also reported that drug trade had not been confined
inside the jail but had been extended outside.

Drug users from the outside posed as inmates' visitors to buy shabu.

Chief Insp. Christopher Abrahano, PDEA provincial officer, said they had
earlier been wondering why number one drug personality Abelardo Punzal and
his group had been detained in one single detention cell.

Detainee Abelardo Punzal, considered number one drug personality in Region
I, had been purportedly allowed to have his cell air-conditioned and to have
refrigerator.

They also purportedly noted in their visit at the provincial jail that the
Punzal group was given special treatment and guards are very lax in giving
security to these drug personalities even in attending to their court
hearings.

PDEA authorities had reportedly called the attention of the jail management
on the laxity of jail guards on inmates, especially the detainees who have
high profile cases.

Provincial Legal Officer Geraldine Baniqued said Saturday she had issued a
memorandum to all the personnel at the provincial jail to submit a written
statement explaining their failure to report to authorities the existence of
illegal drugs and the drug trade that had been ongoing inside the provincial
jail.

The provincial legal officer said that many of the jail personnel have
already submitted their sworn statement.

"We are just waiting for the written statement of the other personnel and
from there, we will establish the lead on who have direct participation in
the incidents inside the jail and we will charge not only administratively
but also criminally," she said.

She said the statements of jail guards are mostly on special treatment given
to some inmates.

"They said that being a lowly, rank and file, in that understanding, it had
the consent of jail warden Doria who was the head of the provincial jail.
Being subordinates, they think they were not in the position to question
administration of the jail warden," she said.

"But we are weighing such reason because they are public servant and like
also a soldier, they should follow all the times all the orders. They know
what are basically right from wrong," Baniqued said.

While Baniqued said she made a visit of the provincial jail on May 4 to see
the management policies being implemented by Chief Insp. Jerick Royales,
acting warden, inside the jail.

She said that in her stay inside the jail for more than an hour, she saw
"the reforms being instituted and the jail policies are more strict. Even
canned foods are being inspected. Because canning services are now in vogue,
the canned foods are being opened."

The legal officer further disclosed that the inmates with illegal drug cases
have been made to undergo physical exercises, similar to a drug
rehabilitation center.

Baniqued said that all facilities giving special treatment to some inmates
had already been dismantled, except the common television set in which 70 to
80 inmates have been watching and the recreational facilities.

"We would like to instill discipline inside so we could not tell exactly how
long. They are also needed in their other police functions in the province,"
she said.