Jail staff arrested for shabu possession

A PERSONNEL from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) is in hot water after he was caught in possession of shabu while on duty at the BJMP-administered Zamboanga City Reformatory Center (ZCRC).

ZCRC Warden Senior Inspector Julius Arro identified the BJMP personnel who was caught in possession of four small sachets of shabu as Jail Officer 1 (JO1) Eliseo Padua Jr., 33.

Arro said Padua was arrested around 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the ZCRC compound along Varela Street, Zone II village after he yielded four small sachets of shabu during an inspection.

Arro, who led the inspection on Padua, disclosed the sachets of shabu were found concealed at the motorcycle crash helmet of Padua.

The inspection and body search was conducted following reports of sale of shabu to the inmates at the detention facility with the involvement of Padua, said Arro.

Padua and the confiscated shabu were turned over to the custody of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for the filing of appropriate charges against the BJMP personnel, he said.

The administrative aspect of the case will be handled by the BJMP, he added.

Padua is being investigation further to verify information that he was allegedly linked with a locally-based drug syndicate, Arro said.