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Sunday, November 14, 2004
Wardens in hot seat
CEBU Provincial Jail Warden Ivy Verallo is bracing for a possible transfer, while his counterpart in the Cebu City jail is preparing to take on a new job.
Verallo will know whether he will keep his job on Wednesday, after the provincial legal division comes up with its investigation report. This, after a surprise inspection last Friday yielded several contraband items, including illegal drugs.
Chief Insp. Teofilo Labating Jr. Labating, on the other hand, was appointed officer-in-charge of the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC). Supt. Nestor Velasquez was recommended relieved after a spate of inmates’ deaths, at least one of which was blamed on drug abuse.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said she ordered Capitol legal officer Marino Martinquilla to investigate Verallo and all jail guards in the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC).
“Because Monday is a holiday, Martinquilla has the whole Tuesday to do the investigation. The primary question is: How did all those weapons and drugs get inside the jail?” Garcia said in a mobile phone interview.
Performance
Garcia did not further talk about Verallo’s fate as jail warden, saying she does not want to preempt the investigation.
“Verallo’s fate lies in his performance for the past years. He has to face the consequences,” Garcia said.
Shabu, marijuana, assorted bladed weapons, a chainsaw, an improvised Molotov bomb, counterfeit money and treasury bills were among those confiscated during the first Operation Greyhound in CPDRC.
The operation was initiated by Garcia through her brother and security consultant Byron Garcia, with the assistance of the PNP, military and the fire department.
Verallo said they also have their daily inspection and his focus is to see to it that no one escapes from among his more than 1,300 inmates.
During inspections, his guards check whether the inmates have made diggings, but Verallo also admitted that he could not totally clear the jail of drugs.
Local ties
He also said they might have been lax in their security, and that he is willing to face whatever the governor’s decision will be.
Labating, for his part, is ready to give his new job a shot.
Labating, in a radio interview over dyLA yesterday morning, said he could not refuse an order.
His being a Cebuano made Bureau of Jail Management and Penology 7 Regional Director Benito Dorigo choose Labating, noting the City Government’s preference for a Cebuano.
Labating assured that in his career, he has not yet been tied to any “bulilyaso” (blunders).
Before he was assigned to BBRC, he was warden of the Taguig City Jail, with 400 inmates. He also worked in Caloocan City, which had more than 2,000 inmates, similar to BBRC.
Labating said he joined 144 recruits for patrolman in 1987, when Tomas Osmeña was first elected mayor.
Challenge
Months later, he got accepted to the Philippine National Police Academy and graduated in 1990.
To be promoted to superintendent, the required rank of a jail warden in a major facility like BBRC, Labating needs a few more units of masteral studies.
He said he already graduated from the Officers Senior Executive Course, a new requirement to hold the position of warden for more than 1,000 inmates.
Dorigo already recommended Labating for promotion so he could hold the position permanently.
Labating has yet to receive the official order, but admitted he learned of his appointment from colleagues in the central office.
“I welcome that assignment. Trabaho man na nato. It’s a challenge,” he said.
Labating plans to meet with city officials as soon as he arrives in Cebu and find out how they want the jail managed. (MBG/MEA)
(November 14, 2004 issue)
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