The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) XI is set to file today a criminal case against Jail Chief Insp. Roman Hernandez, the Davao del Sur provincial jail administrator of the Bureau of Jail Management Penology (BJMP) 11, who was found positive of drug use.
PDEA XI director Antonio Rivera said they may charge Hernandez for violating Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002): Section 12 for possession of illegal drugs and paraphernalia and Section 15 for using illegal drug substance.
Hernandez tested positive on illegal drugs use in a surprise drug test of BJMP XI personnel during a greyhound operation conducted last Saturday inside the city jail.
Police Regional Office Regional Director Chief Supt. Marcelo Morales is also pushing for the reshuffling of BJMP personnel region-wide. Like the Philippine National Police, BJMP is also a line agency under the Department of Interior and Local Government.
He said a regular rotation is a must because there is a tendency that jail officers can be influenced by inmates.
Morales said Hernandez, during an interview, admitted he has been using illegal drugs for at least three years now.
“(Hernandez) said he was not involved in selling,” Morales said. “He was just a habitual user of illegal drugs.”
The police director said they have coordinated with the BJMP regional director to conduct investigation among its personnel.
Morales said he has recommended to the BJMP on how to avoid this kind of incidents in the city jails “and they are receptive to my suggestions.”
“They should introduce new initiatives so that this kind of illegal activities will not happen again,” he said. “The environment inside (the jail) is very conducive in the (illegal drug) transactions.
MONITORING
Davao City Police Office Director Sr. Supt. Alexander Tagum said they are also monitoring other jail officers.
“Yes, Hernandez’s colleagues. We are monitoring them,” said Tagum who pushed for the filling of administrative case against the former warden of the city jail.
He said they have submitted confidential report to the higher police headquarters for the investigation.
