SEVERAL contraband were seized inside the province-run Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail (MOPJ) after jail officials and police conducted greyhound operation Wednesday, February 26, a week after a video of an inmate dancing naked made the rounds on social media.
Confiscated were 22 cellular phones, three sachets of suspected “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride), drug paraphernalia, 15 improvised bladed weapon, cellphone chargers and playing cards.
MOPJ warden Dominador Tagarda said the operation was part of the investigation ordered by Governor Yevgeny Emano to find out why inmates got a hold of contraband especially mobile phones.
“After niadtong nag-viral nga video nag mando ang atong gobernador nga mag imbestiga so part nani ang atong operation sa investigation,” Tagarda said.
(After that viral video, the governor ordered to investigate so this operation is a part of our investigation.)
Tagarda said contraband may have reached inside the detention facility because some detainees have conspired and paid the jail guards or there have been lapses during inspections and body search of visitors.
“Ang usa sa katarungan pud kaning ilabay gikan sa gawas pasulod sa prisohan or lapses sa gwardya sa body search ug ang uban posibleng gakabayran sa mga piniriso,” he added.
(The items were thrown from the outside towards the prison or it could be the guards’ lapses in doing body search and some of them may have been bribed by the inmates.)
Tagarda said there were previous instances that jail guards were fired after proven to have conspired with the detainees.
He revealed that two jail guards are under monitoring and investigation after some prisoners linked them into conspiracy.
“Naay natumbok nga duha ka jail guards nga matud gibayran sa mga piniriso aron makapasulod og cellphone. Kini pinaagi sa testimonya ug affidavit sa mga priso,” Tagarda said.
(There are two identified jail guards who were said to be bribed by the prisoners to let them smuggle cellphone inside the prison. This is according to testimonies and affidavits of the inmates.)
Tagarda said the name of the two jail guards are now reported to the administrator’s office.
He said internal cleansing will continue to weed out erring jail guards or employees at the MOPJ.