The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said Friday, Dec. 16, that it has conducted surprise inspections in its 39 jail facilities to ensure no illegal contrabands are in possession of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who are qualified to participate in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) next year.
BJMP National Capital Region (NCR) director Chief Supt. Efren Nemeno noted that the inspections will be more intense with the start of the voters’ registration of the qualified PDLs for the BSKE elections which will be held from Jan. 9 to 14, 2023.
On March 22, the Supreme Court promulgated Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 9371 that allows PDLs to register and vote in both the national and local elections.
Per Comelec guidelines, PDLs who are qualified to register include those who are at least 18 years of age on election day and/or committed inside the jail facility or detention center for at least six months immediately preceding the election day; confined in jail facility or detention center, formally charged with any crime and awaiting or undergoing trial; serving a sentence of imprisonment for less than one year; or whose conviction is on appeal.
Meanwhile, PDLs who are disqualified to register are those who have been sentenced by final judgment to suffer imprisonment of not less than one year; and those who have been adjudged by final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction or tribunal of having committed any crime involving disloyalty to the duly constituted government, such as rebellion, insurrection, violation of the firearms laws, or any crime against national security.
Nemenio assured the safety and security of all Comelec election officers and personnel who will hold the registration process inside the jail facilities.
“I am expecting the BJMP personnel to exemplify professionalism and discipline in the performance of their sworn duty and ensure that no one from among the ranks are involved with illegal drugs otherwise, face the consequences of being administratively charged or worse being jailed,’’ Nemeno warned.
He also instructed all Metro Manila jail wardens to coordinate with Comelec officials and see to it that security preparations are in place before the registration dates.
Records disclosed that a total of 3,275 greyhound operations have already been conducted in Metro Manila jails while 778 personnel were subjected to random drug tests which all yielded negative results.
The Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory (QCJMD), the second largest facility in NCR in terms of jail population, confiscated five improvised bladed weapons, 68 concrete nails, one cutter, two scissors, two pliers, deck of playing cards, 175 various nuisance contrabands such as wooden sticks, broken water pipes, electric fan parts, discarded wires and ballpens during its latest contraband search.
QCJMD warden Supt. Michelle Ng Bonto stated that no illegal drugs were seized during the greyhound operation where authorities thoroughly searched all corners of the facility with K-9 units in tow.
She revealed that a total of 1,132 PDLs were also subjected to pat, frisk and body search during the entire operation in full support of the "Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan" (BIDA) anti-illegal drug campaign of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ Abalos Jr.