|
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Angry inmates sent to new jail
By Mia E. Abellana & Jeanette P. Malinao
Sun.Star Staff Reporters
A standoff lasting almost 24 hours led Capitol to decide on the immediate transfer of inmates to the new provincial jail in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City.
But before the transfer was made, authorities sprayed water, dispersed the crowd with nightsticks and fired more than 10 warning shots at inmates yesterday afternoon to end protests at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC).
After the warning shots, the inmates ran to their cells where they were locked inside.
Chaos started about 10 p.m. Sunday when a team from the Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) had to go inside the jail after inmates destroyed Brigade 4, which houses the minor inmates.
The inmates kept vigil overnight, holding placards calling for the ouster of new warden Benjamin Lascuña.
They chose to stay under the rain until around 3 p.m. yesterday, when they were given an “ultimatum” to go back to their cells within 30 minutes.
Show of force
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia gave a stern order not to negotiate, saying this will be a “sign of weakness.”
“We can’t allow this to keep on going every time they feel like doing so. Hulga-hulgaun lang ta ana ilang strike,” she said.
A “show of force” was drawn from more than a hundred personnel from the Regional Mobile Group, the Central Command, the Cebu Provincial Police Office and the Swat team of Cebu City.
Firemen first sprayed the inmates with water, but they refused to go back to their cells.
This prompted policemen, military and Civil Security Unit personnel to take their nightsticks and beat some of the inmates to disperse them.
Then came the Swat team, who fired warning shots.
“Pag fire sa warning shots, naglumba na silag panagan, naghuot gud sa selda,” said a jail guard of the inmates, who refused to go inside their cells.
After some of the inmates began running to the cells, the rest were made to drop to the ground face down so they could be handcuffed.
Concerned relatives became more worried when they heard the shots and the shouts of the inmates inside.
Vigil
As early as dawn, inmates’ relatives already came rushing to the jail, worried that their loved ones were not able to eat after reports had it that they were having a hunger strike to protest Lascuña’s strict measures.
Relatives then begged jail guards to accept the food they brought for the inmates, but guards did not allow it.
They believe the guards hesitated to bring the food to the inmates for fear of the protests.
The inmates had their first meal only at 5 p.m. yesterday, chained to each other.
Later on, relatives and an inmate told reporters there was no hunger strike.
Political detainee Ed-gardo Sacamay said that had jail officials provided them with rations, they would have eaten them.
“What hunger strike? I haven’t eaten since morning because they did not give us food,” said Sacamay, who was isolated from the other inmates.
He related that the inmates felt bad when the visiting hours last Sunday was cut short to 3 p.m. instead of 5 p.m.
He said the guards wanted to go home early and cut off the visiting schedule.
Some visitors who came from the provinces were not allowed inside.
Lost belongings
Others who stayed longer than 3 p.m. also complained that some of their belongings were not returned to them.
Since cell phones and cash more than P500 is not allowed inside the jail, these are left to a custodian and are claimed later.
Visitors complained to reporters that when they came out, the custodian in charge of their belongings was no longer there.
Their belongings were also reportedly brought to the Capitol. When they went there, the guards had already left and there was no one left in charge to give their belongings back.
Transfer
About 3 p.m., Governor Garcia arrived to join a meeting with Lascuña, her brother Byron, Police Regional Chief of the Directorial Staff Lani-o Nerez, Acting Provincial Police Director Senior Supt. Alberto Aguisanda and Provincial Fire Marshal Supt. Aderson Comar.
Garcia then went on to complain about CPPO Director Maximo Calimlin’s issuance of a memorandum that stated Dec. 28 as the date of transfer.
Garcia said this led to the confusion. She asked where Calimlim got the date when even Capitol’s consultants on penology and peace and order do not know about it for security reasons.
“Where is Col. Calimlim? I’m looking for him, he is missing when there is action…I would have thought that a man who had training in the military would know better and yet siya mismo ang nagtag-an tag-an og petsa,” she said yesterday.
After Garcia left, the officials began preparing for the transfer of the inmates.
Around 400 inmates—women, minors, elderly and the sick—were transferred around 5:30 p.m. so they can be secured ahead. The rest of the 1,367 prisoners will be transported today because Garcia did not want to do it at nighttime.
M.J. Cuenco Ave. was closed to traffic so police and army officers could easily bring the inmates to buses that would bring them to Barangay Kalunasan.
Lascuña did not face reporters throughout the day when sought for comment but Capitol consultant on peace and order, Ret. Col. Cesar Veloso assured no one was hurt and that no damage was done in the jail.
Sacamay, though, said there were probably inmates wounded because he saw drops of blood in Brigade 2 of the jail.
(December 28, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
