Shabu hidden in pan de sal intercepted in Bilibid

December 1, 2025 – 6:38 PM

Authorities catch Bureau of Corrections personnel smuggling pan de sal with crystal meth in New Bilibid Prison on Nov. 26, 2025 (Photo from Bureau of Corrections via Pang-masa)

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Labubu to “pan de shabu.”

A personnel of the

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)

was caught on November 26 smuggling shabu, or crystal meth, into prison using pan de sal, a Filipino bread roll.

Reports said that a female BuCor personnel, identified as “CTO1 Melchora,” was arrested after contraband was found in a bag of pan de sal she was supposed to smuggle to a person deprived of liberty (PDL) in a dormitory of the maximum-security compound at

New Bilibid Prison

. CTO1 stands for Corrections Technical Officer 1.

BuCor found one sachet of shabu stuffed inside a pan de sal, while another sachet was found beneath the bread rolls.

The illegal drugs were intercepted at Gate 1 of the NBP’s Maximum Security Compound in Muntinlupa City.

The PDL was identified as

Reineill Dizon.

The investigation revealed that “Melchora” frequently visits Dizon, who was confined at the BuCor hospital.

“Duda namin, sila ang nagkakakuntsabahan para magpuslit ng mga droga sa loob,” BuCor director general

Gregorio Catapang

“Kaya pati ‘yung PDL iimbestigahan din, dahil makakasuhan na naman siya ng anti-drug trafficking, lalo siyang makukulong ng mahabang panahon,” he added.

“Creativity at its toughest,” a

Pinoy

wrote.

“Ano ba, mga pulis? Kaliwa’t kanan na… Dapat talagang i-lifestyle check na itong mga ‘to… drug test etc. Ang daming sila mismo ang mga gumagawa ng krimen,” another

“Labubu and now, pandesal?!” a different

Filipino

asked.

“Kahapon, labubu. Ngayon, pandesal naman,” another

said

Last month, authorities discovered high-grade marijuana, or “kush,” smuggled in

Labubu

keychains bound for Laguna.

The shipment originated from Hong Kong.

The contraband was found concealed in boxes of Labubu keychains, prompting Filipinos to express disbelief at how “creative” criminals have become.