CCPO moves to stop drug ‘networking’ in jails

Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is planning to put those arrested for illegal drugs in one holding cell separate from those arrested for other crimes to prevent "networking" among detainees.

"Kung titingnan kasi natin dito, based sa Cebu City lang, magtataka tayo bakit hindi nauubos, continuous. One thing is nagkakaroon ng networking," CCPO Director Joel Doria told reporters yesterday.

According to information gathered by the Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB), most suspects arrested for cases that are not drug-related get recruited by arrested drug personalities once they get mixed in one detention cell.

"Yung nahuhuli nating pushers and users, nakukulong yan pero pag nahahaluan yan ng ordinary criminals, nag re-recruit yan, so nadadami sila. Prinopose ko na ang lahat ng drug-related cases dito na sa headquarters, para at least mabawasan," Doria said.

He said there are high-value targets who take initiative and recruit new underlings, particularly those who are only involved in petty crimes like theft, robbery, and physical injuries. This is so their illegal drug business can continue even while they are serving jail time.

"Ang ginagawa nila ngayon naghahanap sila ng pwede nilang magamit. Ito yung nire-recruit nila," Doria said.

Doria stressed that the move to separate the drug cases is just another way to help curb the illegal drugs in the country which remains to be the number one concern of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In one of his speeches, Duterte lamented that the illegal drug trade in the country cannot be controlled, just like in the United States.

Duterte had earlier promised to cleanse the country from illegal drugs within three months of his administration, or he will resign. He later admitted that the time frame he set upon himself was a miscalculation.

In line with their intensified anti-illegal drugs campaign, Doria said they are shifting their strategy towards finding and stopping illegal drugs at the source.

"Continuous pa rin ang ating campaign against illegal drugs. Ating president susuportahan natin yan. Kung titingnan natin, we are winning, eh. Marami tayong huli, marami tayo natanggal na illegal drugs," Doria said.

Just last Wednesday, CCPO recorded its highest yield of suspected shabu from a college student in a buy-bust operation in Sitio Manga Barangay Tisa. Drugs confiscated weighed an estimated 1.075 kilograms worth P12,685,000. —

Mae Clydyl L.