Capitol to Deploy Drug-Sniffing Dogs at Provincial Jail

(PNA) — The Cebu provincial government will deploy K-9 dogs at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City, following reports of the proliferation of illegal drugs in the facility.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said CPDRC Warden Romeo Manansala requested the provincial government that the jail be provided with drug-sniffing dogs.

Davide said they will coordinate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) and will pay the service fee for every K-9 dog sent to the jail facility.

Manansala said deploying police service dogs can tighten more the security and prevent the entry of contraband inside CPDRC.

Earlier, a suspect caught in a buy-bust operation in the town of Liloan in northern Cebu reportedly claimed the shabu seized from her came from CPDRC.

Authorities later found the alleged drug source inside one of the cells at the jail facility with several drug paraphernalia and electronic gadgets, but no drugs were found.

Cebu Provincial Board Member Ivy Durano-Meca, co-chairperson of the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Commission (CPADAC), said they conducted a special meeting with PDEA and PNP after learning about the situation and are now taking steps in addressing the problem.

“We cannot divulge yet the details or plans how to resolve the problem of CPDRC, but the CPADAC is really concerned about it together with PDEA and PNP,” Durano-Meca said.

Davide has warned jail officers not just of CPDRC but also of provincial jails to be watchful against the entry of illegal drugs and other contraband inside jails.

PDEA 7 officials said they only have two drug-sniffing K-9 dogs deployed at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

They cannot let the dogs work for 24 hours, but they can pull them out when requested under special arrangements.

K9 dogs usually work for an hour and are given time to rest for two hours. (PNA) JBP/EB