80 grams of meth seized from detainee of Zamboanga del Sur jail

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — Authorities in Zamboanga del Sur seized 80 grams of crystal meth or shabu from a detainee of the Zamboanga del Sur provincial jail here in a surprise inspection on Tuesday evening (May 25).

Col. Roel Lami-ing, Zamboanga del Sur police director, said the illegal drugs were kept by Danilo Martinito, also known as Bandoy, who is detained for charges of murder and illegal possession of firearms.

Tuesday’s operation followed the arrest of a certain Brian Sanchez in Santa Lucia village a day earlier during which 39 grams of meth was seized from his possession.

Lami-ing disclosed that during tactical interrogation, Sanchez admitted that he is only a ‘runner’ who gets his meth supply from Martinito, inside the jail in San Jose village.

Cesario Judilla Jr., of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, said that when asked about the illegal drugs, Martinito cooperated by guiding authorities to a spot in the jail compound where he buried the contrabands.

But Martinito did not reveal how the illegal drugs slipped into the jail facility.

Provincial jail warden Joey Villanosa said the meth could have been smuggled in a parcel delivered by a courier service provider.

According to Villanosa, it could be that the parcel was delivered last May 22.

He admitted that they have lapses in scrutinizing all incoming parcels and vowed to conduct their own investigation on the matter.

Martinito is allegedly a member of the Alferez crime group based in Misamis Occidental.

Lami-ing estimated the meth seized from Martinito could amount to P544,000.

Charges are being prepared against Martinito for possession of illegal drugs.