Warden wants ordinance vs visitors bringing dope

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
The warden of the Davao City Jail has asked the City Council to enact an ordinance penalizing visitors who sneak contraband and illegal drugs into the detention facility.
In an interview with Edge Davao, Jail Warden Superintendent Simeon S. Dolojo Jr. said his administration is proposing to penalize violators to preempt the activity.
“Nagapadayon sila nagasulod og mga contrabando, pag madakpan namo… ang mahatag lang gyud namo na penalty is i-ban namo sila pagdalaw for a certain period of time depende sa gravity of crime (They continue to sneak in contraband, but if we catch them the only penalty we can impose is to ban them from visiting for a certain period of time depending on the gravity of the offense),” Dolojo said.
He clarified that these incidents seldom happen because security guards conduct inspection by frisking the visitors.
He said he is pushing for the ordinance because he wants zero incidents in Davao City Jail. He also said he wants to prevent the illegal drug trade inside the jail, which is rampant in other detention facilities in the country.
“Almost 80 percent of the detainees have drug related cases, that is why there are some who are still using it even inside the jail,” he said.
Dolojo said last year the jail guards arrested a woman who snuck in illegal drugs.
He said the proposed penalty on the violators will also benefit the city because the jail will remit all fines that will be collected.
Under section 6 of the proposed ordinance, the violator will be fined P1,500 or render community service for 24 hours, with subsidiary imprisonment for non-compliance of the service, for first offense.
For the second offense, the violator will be fined P3,000 or render community service for 120 hours with subsidiary imprisonment for non-compliance of the service.
For third and subsequent offenses, the violator will be fined P5,000 or render community service of eight hours for a month with subsidiary imprisonment for non-compliance of the service.
In last Tuesday’s regular session, the City Council passed the “proposed resolution to enact and Ordinance Prohibiting the Sneaking, Using and carrying any form of Contraband inside the jail and Detention Places in the City of Davao and Providing Penalties for Violation.”
The item was referred to the committee on peace and order and public safety headed by councilor Nilo Abellera Jr. for public hearing.
The proposal aims to strengthen the implementation of security measures in the jail and prevent the occurrence of deaths, riots, hostage taking, and escape of inmates.
The proposal also wants to prevent the inmates from coercing, intimidating, and threatening complainants and witnesses, order retaliation, orchestrate crimes, and organize rescue plans.
The proposed ordinance will prevent the inmates from bribing jail officers or custodians since the possession of excessive amount of money will be prohibited.
“To safeguard public health and well-being of the inmates by penalizing the possession and entry of illegal drugs, cigarettes, tobacco and alcoholic beverages,” the draft ordinance stated.
The proposal stated that the contraband refers to deadly and bladed weapons; metal cutting saw or blades and digging tools not permitted by the jail officers; cigarettes and other tobacco products; liquor, beer, coconut wine, and other intoxicating beverages; prohibited drug drugs and paraphernalia; cash which is more than the prescribed allowable, to include checks; mobile phone and electronic communication devices; pornographic materials; gambling paraphernalia and other products prohibited by jail officials.