Metro district jail yields drugs; warden sacked

The warden of the Metro Manila District Jail (MMDJ) inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City was relieved of his post on Friday, hours after a surprise inspection yielded suspected illegal drugs, deadly weapons and other contraband.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said Supt. Gemelo Taol, who had been the warden for just over a year, would be moved to the regional office for investigation.

Chief Supt. Deogracias Tapayan, the BJMP acting chief, said the raid on Friday morning found suspected “shabu” (crystal meth) hidden in jars supposedly for salt, drug paraphernalia, assorted weapons, 40 cell phones, 62 SIM cards, nine USB devices, 71 packs and 239 sticks of cigarettes, 409 sticks of tobacco wrapped in paper, and cash amounting to P88,220.

The MMDJ currently holds 2,380 detainees, including high-profile crime suspects from around the country whose investigation or trial are being held in Metro Manila.

Chief Insp. Conrad Basilio will take over as warden.

In a warning to jail officers working in cahoots with inmates, Tapayan said: “If they can’t clean up their facilities (and) toe the line, I will welcome their resignation.”

“I will not think twice about dismissing (them),” he said, noting that the BJMP will be recruiting 1,000 personnel in 2018, in addition to the 500 hired this year.—JAYMEE T. GAMIL