Jail officer busted for drugs

AN OFFICER at the Montevista District Jail, who is considered a high value target and Davao region’s number 1 drug personality, was arrested on Wednesday evening, June 6, in an anti-illegal drug operation in Purok Mabuhay 2, Binuangan, Maco, Compostela Valley Province.

Jail Officer I Roy Del Soccorro Aguinaldo, 37, who is the number 1 target under the drug watchlist of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Davao Region (PDEA 11), was nabbed along with his wife Maria Myrlene Rejuso Aguinaldo, 29, after they allegedly sold illegal drugs to an undercover agent.

Based on the information provided by PDEA 11 information officer Noli Nephi D. Dimaandal, the drug bust was conducted around 7:10 p.m. on June 6 by agents of PDEA 11 along with the Compostela Valley Province Drug Enforcement Unit and Maco Municipal Police Station.

“The two were arrested for conspiring with each other after selling one big pack more or less five grams of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride locally known as shabu worth P45,000 to a PDEA operative who serve as a poseur buyer,” he said.

Authorities recovered two small sachets of suspected shabu, marked money and boodle money from their possession.

The suspect is also classified as one of the big-time drug perpetrators operating in Davao Region. He is a high value target since he is a government employee. The suspect previously surrendered to authorities but Dimaandal could not recall when.

Dimaandal said that they’ve been monitoring the illegal activities of the suspect prior to his arrest. He added that during the drug test of the suspect, he tested positive for illegal drug use.

As of noon Thursday, the suspects were detained at PDEA 11 detention facility. The seized suspected illegal drugs were submitted to Laboratory Service of PDEA 11 for qualitative and quantitative examination.

They are facing charges for violation of Section 26 in relation to Section 5, Section 11 and section 15, Article II of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

For the jail officer, the maximum penalty of the unlawful act shall be imposed, in addition to absolute perpetual disqualification from any public office as stated in Article II, Section 28 or the Criminal Liability of Government Officials and Employees of Republic Act 9165.

Meanwhile, Jail Inspector Edo Lobenia, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) 11 spokesperson, in an interview Thursday stressed that the incident is just an isolated case and it does not define the entire organization. They are also intensifying their internal cleansing campaign to weed out erring personnel.

“The BJMP Region 11 is very proactive against the entry of contraband in our facilities especially on illegal drugs. We do not tolerate wrong doings of our personnel. The apprehension of a jail officer 1 in Montevista District Jail is an isolated case,” Lobenia stressed.

He also said that the jail officer has no record in bringing contraband in their facility. He likewise assured that Montevista Distict Jail has been declared as a drug-free facility of Pdea during the past oplan greyhound operations.

An investigation is now being conducted on the case.

“This is also a challenge for us to guard our own ranks. We do not tolerate any wrong doings of personnel. The BJMP is working hand in hand with other law enforcement agencies to counter the entry of illegal drugs in our facility,” he said.

Lobenia said that BJMP 11 has been doing random drug testing, every renewal or occasions like the Oplan Greyhound, but the arrested jail officer was not tested positive at that time.

“Wala siyang record hindi siya nagpositive sa illegal drugs, wala din siyang maling ginagawa sa jail at the same time walang mga previous cases siya coming from our RIPD sa investigation division ng BJMP Davao,” he added.

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