BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio City Jail – female dormitory reported that drug cases top the offenses committed by female persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who are detained in the said facility.
Senior Jail Officer (SJO) 4 Racquel Tengay, assistant warden of the Baguio City Jail – female dormitory, said that there are some 62 female PDLs who are now detained in the facility who are under the care and management of some 31 female and 18 male jail officers.
She added that the facility has 35 drug-related cases and 27 non-drug related cases with violation of the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law being the leading offense.
The jail officer claimed that the facility actively supports the Buhay Ingatan, Druga Ayawan (BIDA) program of the Department of the Interior and Local government (DILG) by implementing the therapeutic community modality initiative and various welfare and development aspects, including the ongoing Katatagan Kalusugan at Damayan ng Komunidad (KKDK-PDL), a jail-based drug rehabilitation program, designed for plea bargainers and conducted by the trained personnel with some seven PDL graduates as of the fourth quarter of 2024.
“We take pride in maintaining our status as a drug-free jail, having received certification from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on January 13, 2025. This achievement was made possible through the intensification of greyhound operations, routine drug testing, and collaboration with various law enforcement and health agencies,” Tengay stressed.
For safety and security measures last year, she emphasized that there were zero escapes and jail disturbances in the said facility which is a testament to the rigorous training and proactive strategies employed by the jail personnel that ensures safety for both the PDLs and personnel. By Dexter A. See