Over half of the inmate population at the Bohol District Jail face drug cases now clogging the courts here.

SJO4 Jumbo Abad, BDJ chief administrative officer, said that of the 666 inmates, 419 or 63 percent of them are facing charges on violations of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Abad attributed this to the relentless and aggressive campaign against illegal drugs in the province.

Inmates facing murder and rape cases rank next.

Majority of the drug suspects came from Tubigon, Carmen and Inabanga- -the towns with the most number of known drug personalities in police record.

Abad said the congestion rate at BDJ now climbed to 50 percent, because of the increasing number of drug personalities being charged.

The BDJ has 97 personnel- -28 under the Bohol Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), 51 casual employees and 18 regular guards provided by the provincial government- -taking charge.

Jail Chief Inspector Jose Rusylvi Abueva had earlier said the provincial government allocates P50 a day for food allowance of each of the inmates of BDJ.

Even in Ubay, the police chief admitted their lock-up jail at the station had already been crowded by drug personalities arrested in recent police operations.

Meanwhile, in its last report submitted to the Provincial Peace and Order Council, the Bohol team of PDEA-7 regional office stated that they already filed 33 new drug cases before the City Prosecutor’s Office and the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

They are also following up 47 cases that are for resolution, and 10 cases for preliminary investigation.

One case had already been dismissed at the prosecutor’s level, which was on violation of Section 11 of RA 9165 or possession of dangerous drugs.

Of the 53 persons arrested, 48 are now detained and five remained at large, according to the PDEA report.

The PDEA report also shows that a total of 85 drug cases have been elevated to the Regional Trial Courts- -20 are on violation of Section 5 (Sale, Trading, Administration, Dispensation, Delivery, Distribution and Transportation of Dangerous Drugs and/or Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals); 51 are on violation of Section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs); 12 on violation of Section 12 (Possession of Equipment, Instrument, Apparatus and Other Paraphernalia for Dangerous Drugs); and two on Section 15 (Use of Dangerous Drugs).

Of the decided cases, there had been one acquittal regarding violation of Section 11 and another one on violation of Section 12, according to the PDEA report.