Christopher
Lloyd Caliwan
November
19, 2017
MANILA
-- Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II welcomed the renewed partnership of
the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)
to curb illegal drug activities inside government prison facilities and penal
farms.
 |
| Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II |
“I
don’t see anything wrong with it. As a matter of fact, it is good. We all know
that before President Rodrigo Duterte took office around 70 to 75 percent of
illegal drugs in the country are cooked at the national penitentiary,” Aguirre
said.
PDEA
Director General Aaron Aquino and BuCor Officer-In-Charge Valfrie Tabian signed
a memorandum of agreement (MOA) last Tuesday at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in
Muntinlupa City, aimed at continuing cooperation and enhancing organized and
systematic implementation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous
Drugs Act of 2002, particularly inside correctional institutions.
 |
| PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino |
According
to Aquino, the MOA is an extension of the previous agreement between the two
agencies signed on March 25, 2015, except for the inclusion of additional
provisions prescribing PDEA to secure its own office inside the BuCor’s
jurisdiction, to effectively address trafficking and other drug-related
activities.
Aside
from the MOA signing, the PDEA Liaison and Coordinating Office was also
inaugurated inside the NBP.
Aquino
said the office will have a canine unit so that they can conduct a 24-hour PDEA
visibility as well as perform regular greyhound operations in a bid to finally
get rid of drug proliferation inside the NBP.
Aquino
added that BuCor personnel are also expected to lend assistance in the
day-to-day operations of PDEA office inside the NBP.
Aquino
noted that despite rigorous security measures in place, illegal drug trade
remains prevalent in the NBP, highlighting the necessity to "establish
(PDEA's) own liaison and coordinating office based inside NBP premises to
address rapidly the immediate concern of possible entry of drug
contraband."
The
MOA ensures intelligence-sharing and joint investigation efforts in the conduct
of anti-drug operations within jail premises under the jurisdiction of the
BuCor.
“Under
the said agreement, PDEA is also authorized to conduct greyhound operations
inside BuCor correctional facilities pursuant to the standard operating
procedures,” Aquino said.
Aside
from NBP, the prison facilities under BuCor’s supervision include the
Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City, Iwahig Prison and Penal
Farm in Palawan, Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro, Leyte
Regional Prison in Leyte, San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City,
and Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao del Norte.
