City jail wants City Hall to spend for drug tests
The management of the Cebu City Jail is asking the Cebu City Government to shoulder the P300,000 needed for the drug test kits of more than 4,000 inmates.
Jail Superintendent Arnel Peralta, who serves as warden of the city jail, made the request through a letter to Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Although the drug tests in jails are a directive from their national office, Peralta said their head office doesn’t give them funds for it.
“In line with the nationwide campaign against drugs and contraband, this center is fully committed to support whatever directives coming from our higher offices,” read a portion of the letter.
Dr. Alice Utlang, chief of the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse and Prevention (Cosap), said they are willing to buy the kits and administer the tests on the inmates if it will have the approval of the mayor.
Utlang said each kit would cost around P75.
At present, Peralta said there are 4,350 inmates at the city jail, a number that increases daily.
In a separate interview, Councilor Dave Tumulak said if the mayor approves it, he will suggest that the amount be included in the first supplemental budget.
Tumulak, deputy mayor for police matters, said Cosap can also include in the drug testing the jail officers.
In a phone interview, Peralta said the drug test is also a way to find out if there are still illegal drugs inside the jail, al- though he said the exam will be voluntary.
“By doing the test, we can monitor why there are still illegal drugs inside the jail,” he said.
Of the total population of inmates inside city jail, Peralta said 70 percent are facing drug related cases.
In the last surprise search that authorities conducted there, no shabu was found inside, but drug paraphernalia were recovered, prompting Peralta to doubt if the facility is really drug free.
Inmates who will test positive for illegal drug use will be separated from the rest and subjected to a rehabilitation process.
Peralta said they will also determine if there are jail officers involved in the illegal drug trade inside.