The local government of Caloocan City and the Caloocan Anti-Drug Abuse Council have partnered with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology to strengthen their drug rehabilitation initiatives and efforts to decongest jail facilities.

Among the programs on tap is the Community Assisted Rehabilitation and Research Outpatient Treatment intended to help drug dependents recover through counseling and other interventions.

Caloocan Anti-Drug Abuse Office officer-in-charge Sonny Amoyo reported signing a resolution with BJMP, represented by J/Supt. Emmanuel Tolentino, regarding the Good Conduct Time Allowance mechanism for persons deprived of liberty.

Under the said resolution, good conduct shall be rewarded with 20 to 25 days of sentence reduction depending on how well they abide with rules and regulations and the length of their sentence.

"If they will follow the regulations while in detention, they will be govern 20 days off their sentence if it ranges from one to two years, and 25 days off it ranges from three to five years," Amoyo said.

"Mayor Along (Malapitan) wants their rehabilitation fast-tracked along with the resolution of their cases so they can return to mainstream society," he added.

Malapitan, the council chair, said he has readied activities for inmates, including a sports festival, medical and psychiatric evaluation and HIV testing.

In Manila, the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency nabbed two women and seized P4.5 million worth of suspected shabu from them this week.

A total 670 grams of the drugs were seized from the suspects identified as Monera Malido, alias "madam," and Jalila Banggolo, in an operation at A. Bautista Street near R. Hidalgo in Quiapo, Manila.

A cop bought P500 worth of the drugs not knowing that the two women allegedly had 17 big sachets of the stuff with them.

The two were detained at Manila Police District station 14 and were charged with drug pushing under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

With Pat Santos