Suspected pushers link contact at NBP

LIMAY, Bataan — The existence of illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) was exposed anew on Wednesday following the confiscation of more than P500,000 worth of shabu from two suspects who claimed that they have close connections with a drug ring inside the national penitentiary.

In an interview, Limay police chief Major Madtaib Jalman told the Daily Tribune that based on their interrogations with the two arrested suspects, “we gathered that they have close contact with shabu dealers inside the New Bilibid Prison.”

He said that this came following the conduct of a buy-bust operation along De Ocampo Street in Barangay Townsite in this town which resulted in the apprehension of Klayron Nico Santos, listed as a high value target, and Ronniel Sumagaysay, a 21-year-old student and a resident of Cloverville in Barangay Upper Tuyo, Balanga City, Bataan.

According to Jalman, the apprehended suspects are considered as “bigtime” pushers following the seizure of at least six large heat-sealed sachets said to contain suspected shabu.

He said that police operatives from this town, in coordination with the Region-3 office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, conducted the buy-bust operation which resulted in the arrest of the suspects.

According to him, the arrest was made after a poseur buyer successfully bought a medium-sized heat-sealed plastic sachet containing suspected shabu from the suspects amounting to P5,000 and five other large-sized heat-sealed plastic sachets containing suspected shabu in the possession and control of Santos with an estimated value of P570,000 and weighs more or less 120 grams.

“Santos was a former Bilibid inmate and during his incarceration, he was able to establish his contact on illegal drugs at the Bilibid,” Jalman said.