Father caught smuggling illegal drugs during visit to imprisoned son

DAVAO CITY – What was meant to be a reunion between a father and his incarcerated son turned into an arrest after authorities discovered he was attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the Davao City Jail Male Dormitory.

The incident occurred on Friday, February 7, 2025, at around 11:25 AM, during a routine inspection of visitors at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility.

According to reports, during a frisk search, Jail Officer 1 (JO1) Nelson Epifanio noticed a suspicious bulge in the waistband of the visitor’s boxer shorts. Upon closer inspection, Epifanio found suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) concealed within the fabric’s garter insert.

The visitor, identified as Renante Francisco Cellona, was immediately taken into custody following the discovery.

The BJMP, in coordination with officers from Maa Police Station 16, arrested Cellona for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the detention facility.

The confiscated drugs had an estimated street value of ₱50,660.

Authorities are preparing charges against Cellona for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act 9165). He is now set to join his son behind bars as legal proceedings move forward.

The BJMP has reiterated its strict policies against contraband smuggling and warned visitors of the severe legal consequences of attempting to bring prohibited substances into detention facilities.