Bladed weapons, cash, phones seized in Ormoc jail; no drugs

PDEA agents conduct body searches on the inmates of the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Ormoc City, as the prisoners come out of their cells during a raid on Dec. 22, 2016. (PHOTO BY ROBERT DEJON/ INQUIRER VISAYAS)

ORMOC CITY — A number of bladed weapons, cash and phones were recovered during an inter-agency raid on the the Leyte sub-provincial jail here about 5 a.m. on Thursday.

After four hours of searching through the cells, police seized P14,200 in cash, 12 bladed weapons, five cellular phones and a portable DVD player.

The raid, the first in the sub-provincial jail, was conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, City Public Safety Company, City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (CAID-SOTF) and police stations 1 and 3.

The Ormoc City branch of the Leyte sub-provincial jail keeps detainees coming from the 4th district composed of the towns of Kananga, Matag-ob, Palompon, Isabel and Merida.

There are 138 inmates, nine of whom are women.

Jail warden Domingo Plimaco said it was unlikely for illegal drugs to slip into the facility because visitors were thoroughly searched before entering the premises.

He added that the bladed weapons found during the search might have been used by the inmates to make their lanterns and other Christmas décor, which were sold as livelihood projects.  SFM/rga

Ormoc City Police conduct an inventory of seized contraband from inmates of the Leyte sub-provincial jail in the city on Dec. 22, 2016. (PHOTO BY ROBERT DEJON/ INQUIRER VISAYAS)