BAGUIO CITY – Councilor Jose Molintas Jr. has proposed an ordinance explicitly prohibiting the entry and possession of nuisance contraband within the Baguio City Jail Dormitories.
Nuisance contraband refers to items that are prohibited from being brought into correctional facilities due to their potential to disrupt the security, safety, and order of these environments.
The Comprehensive Operations Manual of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) lists items considered nuisance contraband, including communication devices like mobile phones and radios, unauthorized food and beverages, non-permissible personal items such as jewelry or cash exceeding daily needs, sharp or harmful objects, and unauthorized medicines or illegal drugs.
According to Molintas, while not necessarily illegal outside the prison context, many of these items can disrupt the jail’s rehabilitative atmosphere and compromise security.
Banning them encourages an environment conducive to the positive transformation of inmates, he said.
Under the ordinance, all individuals entering the facility, whether visitors, staff, or inmates will be inspected.
Confiscated contraband items will be preserved as evidence until disposal is ordered by the city prosecutor or the Municipal Trial Courts in cities.
Violations of related laws such as Republic Act No. 9165 and RA 10951 will be reported to appropriate law enforcement agencies.
The ordinance imposes penalties on individuals attempting to smuggle nuisance contraband into the facility.
- For a first offense, violators will be required to complete a minimum of eight hours of community service focused on environmental preservation.
- For the second offense, penalty increases to at least 16 hours of community service accompanied by a written reprimand.
- Fort third and subsequent offenses, violators must complete a minimum of 24 hours of community service, and they may be banned from visiting jail facilities which will be determined at the discretion of the jail authority.
The BJMP, in collaboration with city government offices, will be responsible for implementing and monitoring the ordinance.
Regular reports on enforcement will be submitted to the Baguio City Council.
Warning signs regarding the prohibitions of the ordinance will be displayed at facility entrances.
Furthermore, the BJMP, with support from the Public Information Office, will conduct campaigns to educate the public about the provisions of the ordinance.
The proposed ordinance is set to be approved on first reading by the Baguio City Council on October 7, 2024.
A similar proposed ordinance introduced by former Councilor Joel Alangsab has been pending in the city council’s Committee on Public Protection and Safety, Peace, and Order since 2019.
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