68 BJMP FACILITIES CERTIFIED DRUG-FREE

By: Amita Legaspi

            A total of 68 out of 481 facilities of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology have been certified drug free by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) after the management review on the performance of regions in the anti-drug campaign.

            BJMP Regional Office 1 posted the highest number with 17 jails certified drug-free during the Oplan Linis Piitan conducted in partnership with the PDEA and the Philippine National Police.

            “We have 481 facilities nationwide. It’s a long way to go pero hindi kami mapapagod kahit sino pa ang tamaan. Gagawin namin ang trabaho namin lalo pa at inspirado ang mga tao namin ngayon dahil sa dagdag na sweldo,” BJMP chief Jail Director Deogracias Tapayan said in a press statement on Monday.

            The Drug-Free Certification Program is a pioneering project of the BJMP to counter-illegal drug operations in jails with the support of friendly forces from the uniformed service and the PDEA as the certifying agency.

            “You can be certified as drug-free if no illegal drugs were found in your jails during series of Greyhound Operations and of course, that has to be validated by members of the intelligence groups composed of the PDEA, PNP, and other allied forces,” said Tapayan.

            He said to be certified drug free, the jail must also show consistent efforts on anti-illegal drug campaigns in their respective communities on top of basic requirements that the facility is clean from any illegal drugs.

            Another requirement is the conduct of random drug testing among inmates and personnel including the warden of the facility, he said.

            “If malinis ang jail mo and the technical working groups are convinced based on records and intelligence reports, then that is the only time you will be certified by PDEA as drug free,” Tapayan added./MP