PDEA to probe prison drug trade

SAN PEDRO, Laguna—Drug enforcement authorities expressed alarm over reports that an illegal drug trade was thriving inside the national penitentiary.

“These (convicts) are already doing their time. Unfortunately, as reported, they can still transact (illegal drugs). It’s a cause for alarm because the supplies reportedly come from inside (the prisons) palabas (going out),” said Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency information officer Derrick Carreon in a phone interview Friday.

Carreon said “everybody should be (alarmed)” by the report that a drug trade could be run from inside a prison.

The illegal drug trade in prison became a hot topic after the killing of Bureau of Corrections assistant director Rodrigo Mercado in this town early this month.

Reports said the suspected mastermind was a prisoner in the New Bilibid Prisons, who was among those Mercado had ordered transferred following a media exposè of the alleged drug trade inside the facility.

On May 5, a day before the murder, PDEA agents arrested BuCor prison guard Roldan Ramilo, 50, in a buy-bust operation in Cubao, Quezon City. Ramilo, with companion Rochie Ong, both from Imus, Cavite, were reported caught with 300 grams of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) worth P2.1 million.

On May 11, PDEA agents arrested suspected drug pusher Aileen Saavedra in Baguio City. Saavedra claimed the source of the illegal drugs was a detainee from the NBP.

Although Carreon did not name personalities in the suspected penitentiary-run drug trade, he said they could be prisoners or the prison authorities themselves.

Although filing charges against those found to be involved would not constitute double jeopardy because it would be a separate case, “what else or graver (penalties) could you give them when they are already in prison?” he said.

Carreon said the PDEA has “full trust” that the BuCor and the Department of Justice, which have jurisdiction over several jails across the country, can put a stop to the illegal drug trade.

“Even if it involves illegal drugs, (PDEA) cannot just step into the picture (as) we are co-equal with other government agencies,” he said, adding that the agency would coordinate with prison authorities should their assistance be sought.