PRO8 chief orders probe on recovery of illegal drugs in Leyte jail

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
July 10, 2013

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – The region’s top cop ordered a thorough investigation to determine how illegal drugs were able to pass through inspection on way to a lock-up cell in Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City.

This was discovered in a surprise check on cells and inmates by provincial jail guards Saturday afternoon.

Nine inmates - Fernado Balagbis, Dexter Flandez, Fernando Huerta, Eliseo Lascota, Mark Rubin, Jimmy Crame, Eduardo Metro, Lando Lumacad and Zosimo Galano, are being investigated when a sizeable amount of suspected “shabu” were found in cell number 3 to include several drug paraphernalia.

Ten heat-sealed sachet containing suspected “shabu” with total estimated street value of P100,000.00; twenty one lighters; a scissor; cellphone charger and twelve mobile phones were confiscated by jailguards.

PCSupt. Elmer Ragadio Soria, director of Police Regional Office 8, also ordered inspection on all jail facilities in the region in coordination with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and other concerned correctional agencies.

“The intensified implementation of our existing strategy against illegal is part of strengthened support mechanism to carry-out holistic operations in the national anti-drug campaign,” said Soria.

“Intensified police operations against illegal drugs must continue,” the police official said, adding that “complacency in the conduct of anti-drug operations will only burden the PNP with the social costs of the continuing drug problem that are highly correlated with criminality.”

Meanwhile, buybust operation on Sunday night at Brgy. Dawahon Island, Bato, Leyte by joint elements of Bato police station and Leyte Police Provincial Office resulted in the arrest of one Emmanuel Tagsip alias “Ondo”, 39, seaweed farmer and four sachet of suspected “shabu” with an estimated market value of P5,000.00.

In District I, Mc Arthur town also in Leyte, one Richard Macnamara, 37, married, meat vendor, was nabbed by operatives in a buybust operation that also led in the seizure of two plastic sachet of suspected “shabu” and several drug paraphernalia.

Gary Cuartero, 35, was also nabbed in a buybust operation in Dist. VI, New Road, Barugo, Leyte that led to the confiscation of four sachet of suspected “shabu” worth P4,000.00 and the P500 buybust money.

In Sitio Cabulado, Brgy Sto. Rosario, Matag-ob, Leyte, a buybust operation resulted in the arrest of one Roy Olorvida, 43, and the confiscation of two sachet of suspected “shabu” and two pieces P500.00 marked money.