Nalzaro: Proliferation of drugs inside jails

THE arrests of a “tour guide” in Badian, who claimed that his supplies of illegal drugs came from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), and the 23-year-old drug dealer, who claimed that his supplies came from the Cebu City Jail, have opened a “pandora’s box” about the proliferation of illegal drugs inside our jail facilities.

Willard Capacio, who claimed to be a tour guide in Kawasan Falls in Barangay Matutinaw in Badian, was arrested during a buy bust. He told police that he got his stocks of illegal drugs from the CPDRC. Walter Oliamot, who was arrested inside a motel in Barangay Calamba, Cebu City, during a buy bust that yielded some P4.7 million worth of shabu, also claimed that his supplies came from the Cebu City Jail. Police considered him a high-value target.

Capacio and Oliamot did not give specific details on how they got their supplies. Roberto “Bobby” Legaspi and Supt. Renante Rubio, provincial and city jail wardens, respectively, denied the accusations, claiming it was a diversionary tactic by drug dealers to mislead police about their illegal operations. Well, it was natural for the two jail wardens to deny the allegations because these were a big slap on their faces.

But why would these drug personalities lie about their operations? What are their motives and what do they hope to gain by making such allegations? To destroy the reputation and leadership of jail officers and jail facilities? I think these drug dealers are telling the truth and their allegations should be looked into by jail authorities instead of denying these.

Legaspi and Rubio are not in the jails 24/7. Perhaps they don’t know what goes on inside during their absence. What if some of the jail guards are in cahoots with drug dealers and that is the reason drug smuggling continues to flourish inside these facilities. Remember, the illegal drug trade is very enticing and tempting. Those behind it, not only the inmates, get a share of the transactions.

One of the issues against former Capitol jail consultant Marco Toral was that he was the one doing business inside the jail. He sold gadgets to those who could afford. He brought in liquor and had a drinking session with his “favored” inmates. Wala na kaha ni karon ubos ni Legaspi?

I cannot imagine how contraband, including gadgets, gain entry inside the jail facilities if jail officers are very strict in conducting searches and body frisking of visitors, even looking into the inmates’ food packs. Jail personnel often conduct greyhound operation, confiscating contraband from inmates. But the following day, when they conduct another search, they can still confiscate illegal items. Nganong makasulod man gyud na kung instrikto sila? Gumikan konsabo ang ubang jail guards.

Remember the testimonies of self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa during a Senate inquiry? Kerwin was an ordinary street pusher when he started his drug business. He supplied small packs of shabu to drug addicts in Hipodromo, Ermita and Pasil in Cebu City. When he got arrested and detained at the Cebu City Jail, he continued his “business” inside and ended up earning million of pesos a month. Imagine. He became a millionaire while in detention. After his conviction, he was sent to the National Bilibid Prison. There, he met big-time drug lords. When he was acquitted by the Court of Appeals, he, too, became big time.

I am sure most of the drug dealers who are detained in our various jails are still active in the illegal drug trade and are in cahoots with corrupt jail officers. If our authorities cannot stop the illegal drug trade inside our jails where inmates’ movements are restricted, how much more in the community where people are free to roam around? Again, drug proliferation inside our jails has something to do with corruption and this must be stopped.