King size bed, aquarium, LED TV seized in raids on QC, Manila jails

Contraband items including a king size bed, aquarium, LED TV and cellphones were siezed in simultaneous raids conducted by the police in city jails in Manila and Quezon City before dawn Friday.

Tension gripped the start of Oplan Greyhound at Manila City Jail around 4 a.m. when members of Batang City Jail barred the police from entering their dormitory.

In her report on "24 Oras," GMA News' Katrina Son said it took several minutes of discussion before the inmates allowed the police to enter.

"This is the first time na nagkaroon tayo ng joint operation with other law enforcement agencies para ma-flush out talaga 'yung contrabands and to preclude any suspicions na komo BJMP kami [ay] pinagtatakpan na namin," said Chief Supt. Michael Vidamo of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in the report.

Chief Insp. Roque Merdegia Jr. said it was the BJMP who requested for support in the conduct of Oplan Greyhound.

The operatives initially recovered illegal drug paraphernalia and bladed weapons in their inspection, the report said.

"Dito naman wala tayo gaanong nakitang mga kontrabando dahil walang drug lord na naka-ditene dito, mga lokal," said Senior Supt Leonardo Suan of the Philippine National Police-Anti Illegal Drugs Group (PNP-AIDG).

However, the report said when the inspecting team got to Dorm 7 where suspected drug lord Shuli Zhang is detained, they found blue books, cellphones, a king size bed, an aquarium, a shabu-shabu cooking set, and assorted bladed weapons.

"Meron tayong nakuhang blue book, 'yun ang paiimbestigahan natin sa intel namin, titignan namin. Saka may cellphone, titignan natin kung anong naka-record dun. Saka nakita niyo naman naka-king size bed, naka-aquarium…parang hindi ka talaga nakakulong," Suan said.

The operation was conducted amid reports of drug transactions inside the jail facilities due to lack of guards.

"Sa ngayon kulang po tayo ng jail guards. Sa buong NCR actually ang kulang aabot pa ng mahigit 10,000 before we can totally say na safe na tayo sa inmate to personnel ratio,” Vidamo said.

Manila City Jail houses 4,000 inmates but it has only 200 jail guards.

Quezon City

In Quezon City Jail, GMA News reporter Saleema Refran said most of the items seized were improvised bladed weapons and improvised guns. There were also sachets of suspected illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia, LED TV, and a DVD player.

The report said rubbing alcohol, condoms and bottles of bleach, which can be used to poison or blind a person, were also seized in the raid.

Chief Insp. Joey Doguiles, QC Jail chief of operations, said condoms are not illegal but they prohibit it as it can be used to smuggle other contrabands inside.

Authorities also confiscated money from the inmates. The report said the cash will be given the inmates' family.

Interior Undersecretary Peter Corvera said the bigger purpose of Oplan Greyhound is to check reports that some inmates still direct criminal operations.

"Hindi lang makuha ang kontrabando ang hangad natin. Nakatanggap tayo ng report na mula sa loob ay nakakapag-operate pa ang ilang kriminal. Illegal activities sa Metro Manila are being directed here," he said.

A total of 3,532 inmates are in QC jail with 150 jail guards manning them.

Authorities said Oplay Greyhound will be conducted in other city jails. —Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News