BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio City Jail will further tighten its inspection procedures after foiling another attempt to sneak in drug contraband inside the facility last November 4.
City Jail Male Dorm Warden J/Chief Insp. Crispin Dornagon Jr. said jail personnel intercepted some .25 grams of dried marijuana leaves tucked inside the pocket of a pair of jogging pants which a mother identified as Cherrie Nidoy was bringing in for her son locked in on charges of robbery with violence.
According to Dornagon, Nidoy has another son being held in the facility on a drug-related case.
Dornagon said Nidoy admitted that her sons grew up without proper guidance from her as she worked as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) but she denied knowledge of the sachet of marijuana leaves inside the clothing article she was carrying.
She reportedly claimed that the jogging pants were first used by her other son who was facing drug raps.
The mother is now being held for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for illegal possession of prohibited drugs.
Dornagon said the incident is the second foiled drug entry attempt in his dorm this year and as a result, they will impose additional inspection rules and will intensify the routine checks and strip searches despite protests by some of the families visiting their relatives inside the prison.
“We have been strict in our inspection measures but some visitors are also becoming more resourceful so we just have to exert more effort to continue ensuring that these contrabands do not find their way inside our prison,” he lamented.
The male dorm has a population of 476 persons deprived of liberty and 55 percent of them were facing drug-related cases.
Currently, they are vying for a certification as a drug-free facility, according to the jail warden.
By Aileen P. Refuerzo
Banner photo by: Armando M. Bolislis
