BJMP vows to back PNP drive to purge detention facilities of illegal drugs

File photo of a jail facility in Quezon City under the supervision of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). (File photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) fully supports the Philippine National Police (PNP) in its drive to rid detention facilities of illegal drugs, the BJMP spokesperson, Jail Chief Insp. Xavier Solda, said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

This, he said, is in accordance with an agreement the BJMP signed with the PNP, as well as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), back in 2011.

“The BJMP is solid in its support for the campaign of the PNP against illegal drugs,” Solda said in Filipino, as quoted in the statement. “The BJMP will continue doing its cleanup of our facilities in partnership with the PNP and PDEA.”

“This is also stated in the agreement we signed for a wider cooperation of our agencies against illegal drugs,” he added.

The BJMP statement did not explain the reason for the statement, but it was released after reports came out on Wednesday that the PNP chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, had ordered a probe of two drug suspects allegedly doing illegal drug transactions with inmates at the Cebu City Jail.

According to Eleazar, the suspects — Benjie Lupian and Bryan Osabel — admitted having dealt with inmates of the jail, which is under the supervision of the BJMP.

Lupian was caught in Barangay Duljo Fatima in a buy-bust operation carrying over 1 kilogram of crystal meth, more commonly known locally as shabu, worth around P7 million.

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