A person deprived of liberty (PDL) and a civilian have been arrested during an illegal drugs buy-bust operation conducted at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF) in Zamboanga City, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said on Wednesday, April 10.
In a statement, BuCor identified those arrested as PDL Kerwin Mohammad Abadilla and civilian Albadir Mala Ajijul.
It said that criminal charges have been filed against the two arrested suspects for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
It also said that four SRPPF corrections officers have been relieved of their posts pending further investigation. They were identified as CSO4 John Hicap, CO2 Jimmy Wong, CO2 Joel Broncano and CO1 Marlon Hemandez.
The two suspected drug traders were arrested during a joint operation conducted by operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the BuCor last April 9 inside the SRPPF reservation.
Citing a report submitted by SRPPF Superintendent and Chief Inspector Vic Domingo Suyat, BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said the buy-bust operation was conducted when 15 PDLs, including Abadilla, were taken out of the prison farm's minimum-security compound for their institutional assignments at a five-hectare vegetable within the prison reservation.
“Recovered from those arrested was an undetermined amount of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu,” BuCor said.
Catapang has instructed officials of the SRPPF to coordinate fully with the PDEA to find out who are involved in the illegal drugs trade in the facility.
He assured that more joint operations will be conducted by the PDEA and the BuCor to weed out undesirable personnel.
BuCor has memorandum of agreements with PDEA and other law enforcement agencies for the synchronization of operations against drug trafficking in the bureau's prison facilities, he said.