A PERSON deprived of liberty (PDL), who is serving his sentence at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF) in Zamboanga City, was caught selling illegal drugs and in possession of an undetermined amount of shabu on Tuesday, April 9, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Gen. Pio Catapang Jr. reported on Wednesday, April 10.
Catapang identified the suspect as Kerwin Mohammad Abadilla, a PDL at the minimum security compound of SRPPF, who was arrested in a joint buy-bust conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and BuCor on Tuesday.
Catapang said a civilian, identified as Albadir Mala Ajijul, was also arrested during the operation.
Initial report submitted by SRPPF Supt. Corrections Maj. Vic Domingo Suyat disclosed that Abdilla, together with 14 PDLs, was brought out of the minimum security compound around 7 a.m. on April 9 as part of the reformation program when he was caught selling the prohibited drugs.
They were taken to a 5-hectare vegetable farm site located at Talisayan village for their institutional assignments when the operation by the PDEA and BuCor was conducted.
Four BuCor officers identified as CSO4 John Hicap, CO2 Jimmy Wong, CO2 Joel Broncano and CO1 Marlon Hernandez were immediately relieved of their duties while a thorough investigation is being conducted by the SRPPF, Catapang said.
Abadilla and Ajjijul were immediately brought to the PDEA office for booking and to undergo inquest proceedings.
Catapang said that this is one of the reasons why BuCor signed a memorandum of agreement with PDEA and other law enforcement agencies for the synchronization of operations against drug trafficking in correctional and prison facilities and penal farms.
He said that this is only one of the many operations that will be conducted to weed out the bureau of undesirable personnel.
"Under the Bagong BuCor sa Bagong Pilipinas, there is no place for misfit personnel, and our collaboration with other law enforcement agencies was meant to curb the issue of proliferation of contrabands inside the corrections facilities despite rigorous measures in place," Catapang explained.
He said he has ordered the SRPPF to coordinate fully with the PDEA to uncover those behind the incident.