LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—It’s another feather in the cap of the Pangasinan Provincial Jail after it was declared a drug-cleared controlled facility on June 19.
PPJ Chief retired PLTCOL Lovell U. Dalisay said the declaration was made by the Regional Oversight Committee on Controlled Facilities headed by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Region 1 Director Joel B. Plaza, after a thorough investigation and evaluation as outlined in ‘Guidelines in the Nationwide Implementation of Drug Clearing Program in Controlled Facilities for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs).
Among the activities undertaken before the declaration are the following: formulation of the Pangasinan Provincial Jail (PPJ) Drug-Free Workplace Program Policy (DFWP); composition of the Drug-Free Workplace Committee; conduct of search and seizure; conduct of drug testing; conduct of regular intelligence coordination meetings with other law enforcement agencies; and the conduct of DFWP orientation and anti-illegal drug advocacy campaigns and symposiums.
The search and seizure operations conducted on March 13 and May 10, 2024, showed negative confiscation of illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, and other contraband.
Drug testing conducted in February and March 2024 on both personnel and PDLs likewise revealed negative results for the presence of methamphetamine and its metabolites, as well as THC metabolites.
It’s two in a row for PPJ, as the facility was also a recipient of a plaque of commendation as an enforcer of the drug-free workplace program on November 24, 2023, during the 2023 Drug Abuse and Control Week and Regional Awarding Ceremony held in La Union.
The recognition resulted from the PPJ’s dedicated efforts in rendering and implementing the Drug-Free Workplace Program, fully supporting the Nation’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Campaign.
Meanwhile, PPJ continues to implement its restorative and transformative justice programs through spiritual nurture, the Alternative Learning System, livelihood training, and anti-drug use campaigns among Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL). (Chona C. Bugayong/PIMRO)
