New BJMP-7 Chief Targets Contraband Smuggling in Prisons
CEBU CITY – The new regional director of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Central Visayas (BJMP-7) has pledged to eliminate the persistent issue of contraband smuggling in prisons. Jail Chief Supt. Luisito Muñoz acknowledged that some Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) continue to engage in illegal drug activities by using mobile phones inside jail facilities.
To address this, Muñoz said the bureau will intensify its greyhound operations. “We will intensify the conduct of greyhound operations. We have new graduates and we will utilize them to conduct greyhound operations. We will be stricter in inspecting visitors,” he stated during a press conference on May 28.
Deployment of New Personnel to Aid Operations
Muñoz revealed that 122 newly graduated personnel from the National Jail Management and Penology Training Institute in Negros Occidental will be deployed soon. This group includes 43 female and 79 male personnel who will support efforts to curb contraband entry.
The regional director also pointed out that many contacts of arrested drug suspects are found within the Cebu City Jail, making it a hotspot for illegal activities. To counter this, he plans to strengthen visitor inspections and penalize jail personnel caught smuggling prohibited items.
Strict Penalties for Jail Staff Violations
“I have already issued a directive that those who will be proven guilty of smuggling contraband like cell phones and illegal drugs will meet the maximum penalty of dismissal from the service,” Muñoz emphasized. He also recalled that five jail personnel have been dismissed in the past for similar offenses.
Collaboration and Jail Congestion Challenges
Muñoz will also work closely with the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas to support these initiatives. The police chief is a junior batchmate of Muñoz from the Philippine National Police Academy, facilitating better coordination between agencies.
Currently, BJMP-7 manages 43 jail facilities, facing a severe congestion rate of 299 percent with 17,857 PDLs across the region. Approximately 74 percent of these inmates are charged with illegal drug offenses.
Programs to Ease Prison Overcrowding
To combat overcrowding, BJMP-7 launched a paralegal service program, which helped release around 1,700 PDLs from January to March this year. Additionally, the bureau has established an “education behind bars” initiative in partnership with Cebu Technological University. Nearly 3,000 inmates are now enrolled in the alternative learning system.
With these steps, the BJMP-7 aims to improve prison conditions and reduce contraband smuggling effectively.
For more news and updates on prison contraband operations, visit Filipinokami.com.