295 Bacolod district jail inmates negative for drug use

The test was conducted to make sure that there is no presence of contraband, particularly illegal drugs, inside the jail, Miciano added. (Pexels photo)

BACOLOD CITY— A total of 295 inmates of the Metro Bacolod District Jail-(MBDJ)-Male Dormitory Annex in Barangay Handumanan here were found negative for illegal drug use following the test conducted on Thursday.

Senior Inspector Norberto Miciano, warden of MBDJ-Male Dormitory Annex, said the inmates who underwent drug test are all facing cases of violation of the Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and had been detained for more than six months.

They submitted their urine samples for the test witnessed by a representative from the Provincial Administrator’s Office of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Negros Occidental.

Those tested were among the about 800 inmates of the MBDJ-Male Dormitory Annex.

The test was conducted to make sure that there is no presence of contraband, particularly illegal drugs, inside the jail, Miciano added.

Earlier, 25 inmates of the MBDJ-Female Dormitory (MBDJ-FD) were also found negative of illegal drug use during a random drug test.

The drug test, which used urine samples, was conducted by Jail Officer 1 Carmena Ingente, who is also the jail nurse.

“MBDJ-FD is one with acting BJMP chief Deogracias Tapayan in his campaign against illegal drugs inside all jail facilities,” the jail management added.

The female jail facility, located in Barangay Handumanan, houses more than 150 inmates.

The tests were initiated as Chief Superintendent Deogracias Tapayan, acting chief of BJMP, expressed his commitment in September to clear all jails of illegal drugs and all forms of contrabands, and to improve the management of jail facilities as directed by President Rodrigo Duterte.