CONTRABAND SEIZED IN REHAB CENTER

Around 349 packs of cigarette, 100 lighters were confiscated City took over management of facility barely a month yet

More than 400 contraband were confiscated yesterday inside the Operation Second Chance Center (OSCC), barely a month after the Cebu City Government took over the management of the facility.

Officials of the center confiscated 349 packs of cigarettes and almost 100 lighters.

A small sachet containing suspected shabu was also found by a K9 unit from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 7 during the disposal of the items yesterday morning.

The contraband were reportedly thrown from outside into the facility. From OSCC, it is then allegedly thrown by some minors to the adjacent City Jail.

Retired Chief Insp. Merlinda Metante, OSCC executive director,

The contraband were reportedly thrown from outside the facility, from the adjacent City Jail.

explained that the entry of contraband is unavoidable, considering that it was only last April 1 when the City took over the facility.

The OSCC, a center for children in conflict with the law, was previously under the supervision of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) 7.

“Our 40 personnel, all of whom are civilians, are still undergoing training. But we are coordinating with the dorms to put a stop to this activity. We’ve also requested for police visibility,” she said.

The facility has a capacity of 130 inmates, but it now houses 183 minors.

At least 75 minors were found to have violated the Dangerous Drugs Act.

With the development, City Jail Deputy Warden Chief Insp. Richard Tulabing said they will be deploying personnel to closely mon- itor the OSCC.

“We’ll tighten our monitoring because the center is really a weak point considering that it’s housing minors. The entry of cigarettes is quite alarming,” he said.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor for police matters, said the City will push for the improvement of lighting and construction of a higher perimeter fence.

To beef up security, the Guadalupe Police Station will also be conducting regular foot patrol in the area.

Tumulak admitted that there are suspicions of habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) drivers acting as conveyors of contraband.

“We don’t want to have the minors used as instruments for crime. We’re asking the coordination of the drivers because if proven, they may lose their livelihood,” he said. /