Probe CPDRC drug trade

No drugs were found in a surprise inspection at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City at 7 a.m. Thursday.

But police have seized assorted drug paraphernalia, cellular phones and money remittance records.

The money remittance records show money is changing hands inside the jail.

Roberto “Bobby” Legaspi, CPDRC acting jail warden, said it’s too early to speculate whether the handwritten money remittance records came from illegal drug transactions.

“For now, we are not sure if these are drug transactions... That is why an investigation has to be done first,” he said.

That would be known if they can trace the recipients of the transactions.

The money transaction records police recovered in the latest greyhound operation, the fourth since July 1, showed some P40,000 to P70,000 is sent by some inmates to a money remittance outlet daily.

Some of the money remittance records were recovered from ex-cop Antonio Aguisanda, who was jailed since 2014 on robbery charges.

Perhaps the former dancing inmates have found a better livelihood activity.

Cebu Gov. Junjun Davide earlier said he wants to clear the CPDRC of illegal drugs before his term ends.

It might be happening because no drugs were recovered in the surprise raid in CPDRC.

But they still need to investigate why some inmates are earning so much and sending the money outside of the facility.

Legaspi said the surprise inspections in CPDRC are meant to completely eradicate illegal drugs and gambling activities inside the jail.

The latest was conducted after Rolando Escorial, a suspected drug pusher who was arrested in Barili town last Tuesday, claimed got his illegal drugs supply from a certain “Rocky” inside CPDRC.

Have the inmates found a better way of hiding their illegal drugs?”