CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Combined elements of Bureau of Jail Management and Penitentiary and the police discovered Monday some 18 sachets of suspected shabu inside the cell of an inmate here.
The discovery of the suspected illegal drugs came before an attempt of a jail visitor to smuggle in about 0.3963 grams of the illegal drug rolled into a grocery receipt was foiled by the police.
In his report, City Police Chief Marcelo Dayag said that one Arturo Samia, 42, a resident of Saturn Street in nearby San Fernando Subdivision, attempted to smuggle in the suspected drug by wrapping it in a piece of paper reportedly a grocery receipt that came with a bag of goods.
But Dayag said that when Samia underwent body search, he threw the rolled paper containing the suspected drug and fled towards Macalino Street in the said compound where he was collared by jail guards.
Samia was arrested and detained at the provincial jail with pending charges of violation of Section 11, Article 2 of Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs law.
Another 18 heat-sealed plastic sachets containing the suspected illegal drugs, weighing some .22 grams each, where discovered in a surprise inspection conducted by the jail guards.
The illegal drugs were found under the pillow, wrapped in a disposable diaper inside Cell 6 occupied by inmate and suspect Elmer Dungca, 43, of Dolores, Bacolor.
Authorities said Dungca has been incarcerated for violation of the Dangerous Drug law.
Dungca admitted before officials and media that he was using the drugs in treating his diabetes.
Officials of the Provincial Jail said they have stepped up their drive to rid the jail of drugs, but visitors there often, they said, devise “clever” ways, like inserting into their sex organs the illegal drugs in attempts to smuggle them in.
“Naka leave pa naman po ang aming lady guard na siyang in-charge sa body search ng mga babae. Ganoon po kasi ang ginagawa nila ngayon para maipuslit ang droga,” a jail official told Sun.Star Pampanga.
Ninety percent of inmates in the jail, both male and female, are imprisoned at the provincial jail for drug related cases. (JTD)