By Pamela Mariz Geminiano/PNA
BAGUIO CITY — The regional anti-illegal drugs oversight committee has declared the Baguio City Jail Male Dorm (BCJMD) as a “drug free” jail facility, an official said on Thursday.
“With the intensified greyhound operations conducted inside cells and security check of visitors, continuous conduct of values lectures regarding the ill-effects of drugs led to our dream in becoming a drug free facility,” BCJMD warden Chief Insp. Crispin Dornagon told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The male dorm strictly implements standard operating procedures (SOP) especially for visitors to prevent the entry of illegal drugs in the facility.
For a period of six months, the jail must be able to maintain a “clean facility”, with no drugs or paraphernalia found during spot inspections and no personnel or inmate tested positive for illegal drugs.
“Malaking tulong siguro ang pag invite natin sa mga religious groups na mag concentrate sila sa mga PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) natin dito sa jail para magabayan sila sa kanilang mga values para sa tuluyan nilang pag iwas sa drugs (Inviting religious groups inside the facility made an impact on persons deprived of liberty (PDL) which guided them and improved their values to further get rid of their drug addiction),” he said.
Dornagon said part of the measures is the conduct of random drug testing of PDLs and their personnel.
The regional oversight committee is composed of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Department of Health, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and a representative from the city government.
Of the 409 PDLs housed in BCJMD, 209 are facing drug charges.
Dornagon said they are coordinating with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to provide livelihood program trainings and scholarships to prepare the PDLs for a new, productive life in case of their release.
Aside from the BCJMD, four jail district facilities were also declared as “drug free”– Alfonso Lista district jail in Ifugao, Mountain province district jail, Bucay district jail in Abra, and Tabuk district jail in Kalinga.
On Sept. 27, 2018, the Baguio City Jail Female Dorm (BCJFD) was also declared as a “drug free and drug cleared” facility.
