CEBU CITY – The newly installed regional director of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Central Visayas (BJMP-7) vowed to get rid of the perennial problem of contraband being sneaked into prison facilities.
JAIL Chief Supt. Luisito Muñoz
Jail Chief Supt. Luisito Muñoz said he is aware that some Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) are still involved in illegal drug activities through the use of mobile phones.
Because of this, Muñoz said greyhound operations will be intensified under his watch.
In a press conference on Wednesday, May 28, Muñoz disclosed that they will deploy 122 personnel who just graduated from the National Jail Management and Penology Training Institute in Negros Occidental – 43 female and 79 male personnel.
Muñoz acknowledged that most contacts of arrested drug suspects are at the Cebu City Jail.
“We will intensify the conduct of greyhound operations. We have new graduates and we will utilize them to conduct greyhound operations. We will be stricter in inspecting visitors,” said Muñoz.
Muñoz said that he will not hesitate penalizing personnel caught smuggling illegal drugs and mobile cell phones into jail facilities.
“I have already issued a directive that those who will be proven guilty of smuggling contraband like cell phones and illegal drugs will meet the maximum penalty of dismissal from the service," the former chief of the BJMP-National Capital Region said.
He recalled having five jail personnel dismissed from the service for committing such an offense.
Muñoz added that he will closely work with the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas, whose chief, Police Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, is his direct underclassmen in the Philippine National Police Academy.
Maranan is a member of the PNPA Class of 1995 while Muñoz belongs to PNPA Class of 1994.
There are 43 jail facilities under BJMP-7.
BJMP-7 is hounded by a congestion rate of 299 percent with 17,857 PDLs in the whole region.
Of the total inmates, 74 percent are facing illegal drug charges.
To address decongestion, the BJMP-7 has launched a program offering paralegal services. Under the program, at least 1,700 PDLs have been released from January to March this year.
Muñoz said the BJMP-7 has already established the “education behind bars” program in coordination with the Cebu Technological University.
There are 2,961 PDLs who are enrolled in the alternative learning system.