NUMEROUS contraband that were seized during a series of surprise inspections in the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) were destroyed by jail officials yesterday.

Reynaldo Valmoria, the newly appointed CPDRC warden, led the burning and destruction of the contraband as a message to inmates that he does not tolerate any smuggling of illegal items inside the jail.

Items that were destroyed included 400 tobacco leaves, 109 lumboy or duhat leaves used as cigars, 400 packs of cigarettes, 82 cellular phones, improvised weapons, and drug paraphernalia.

Valmoria said they also recovered five small packets of suspected shabu, which they turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for a laboratory examination.

Now that he is CPDRC warden, Valmoria said he will implement a “three-strike” policy against inmates who are caught smuggling contraband.

Those who will be caught smuggling repeatedly will be transferred to another jail cell where they will be monitored more closely by jail personnel.

Valmoria said that if an inmate is linked to the smuggling of contraband three times, he will also order the destruction of “kubol-kubol” or small makeshift cells within the jail.

He said that the presence of “kubol-kubol” helps inmates smuggle and hide contraband.

The programs being implemented by Valmoria are aimed to prevent the entry of illegal drugs and other contraband in jail.

Before Valmoria was appointed as warden, the CPDRC conducted a series of surprise inspections or greyhound operations that resulted in the confiscation of illegal drugs from some inmates. (JKV)