(Eagle News) — Philippine National Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar has ordered a probe into two drug suspects’ claims they were transacting with detained individuals in the Cebu City Jail prior to their arrest.
In a statement, Eleazar said he has ordered the Police Regional Office 7 to look into the allegations of Benjie Lupian, 42; and Bryan Osabel, 35, who were nabbed in separate buy-bust operations on Monday, Sept. 20.
According to the PNP, Lupian was arrested in Barangay Duljo Fatima after authorities seized 1,040 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated market value of P7 million from him.
Osabel, meanwhile, was caught with 501 grams of illegal drugs worth P3 million.
“Ang pagkakasangkot ng mga nakakulong na drug traffickers sa transaksyon ng iligal na droga ay nagpapatunay lamang kung gaano kalalim ang operasyon ng sindikato ng droga sa ating bansa,” Eleazar said.
He said this was not the first time arrested drug suspects claimed they were transacting or working with incarcerated individuals.
He cited his experience when he was Regional Director of the National Capital Region Police Office, when the same allegations were made against convicted drug traffickers at the New Bilibid Prison.
“That is why I am ordering our commanders to strengthen the coordination with (relevant) agencies to include the (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology) through intelligence-sharing in order to deny inmates from running the illegal drugs operations,” Eleazar said.
The BJMP has operational and administrative control over all city, district and municipal jails in the country.
The NBP, meanwhile, is maintained by the Bureau of Corrections, which is under the Department of Justice.
