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Thursday, March 24, 2005
Gwen: Byron back at work
BYRON Garcia is back as Capitol consultant on security matters, a decision that his sister, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, knows will “not be popular” but necessary.
“This has been a very difficult decision for me, knowing fully well that there has been a lot of frenzy raised by the sheriff Opada incident,” she said yesterday.
What prompted Gwen’s decision to have Byron back was the result of an investigation on the escape of an inmate last Saturday, which highlighted “serious security lapses” in the provincial jail.
Byron took a leave when he was investigated for allegedly mocking a court order and threatening court sheriff Julbert Opada inside the new Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) last
December.
The court and the Capitol committee on discipline and investigation cleared Byron of the charge.
Although inmate Marcos Montaño, 18, was recaptured last Sunday, the incident raised questions on Acting Warden Algier Commendador’s “ability to effectively assign guards within his scope of responsibility.”
Commendador reported to the governor that there was nobody manning towers 2 and 3 of the CPDRC. He cited the lack of manpower for this, as some were absent and others were taking the day off.
Governor Garcia yesterday wondered why Commendador keeps on insisting on being undermanned when the Civil Security Unit already augmented the jail guards, and security guards were also hired.
Empty room
The governor said the caterers first noticed Montaño’s disappearance when they served breakfast last Sunday morning and found the isolation room empty.
There were also supposed to be three guards assigned at station 6 where Montaño was placed.
Garcia refused to give details of how Montaño escaped, as it might give others an idea.
But she said, “The manner that he escaped could not have been done without any guards noticing.”
“Whether on purpose or not, this is clearly a failure of the human component. It’s either gross incompetence or negligence or scandalous connivance,” she said.
Moreover, she said smuggling of prohibited items such as cell phones is back inside the jail.
“We’re up against a deeply ingrained corrupt system that’s been there all these years and every attempt at correction will be fought back by those who stand to lose. But if they think they will wear me down, they should think again. This will only strengthen my resolve to initiate reforms, which should be followed not only as procedure but as a way of life,” she said in a press conference. (JPM)
(March 24, 2005 issue)
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