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Thursday, February 23, 2006
Minor inmate gives birth in jail
A juvenile offender in the Operation Second Chance facility in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City gave birth three weeks ago.
She will stay in jail, however, because she is facing a criminal complaint for shoplifting.
Cebu City First Lady Margot Osmeña, who sees to the needs of the minor inmates, clarified that Angie (real name withheld), was in the late stages of pregnancy when taken to the facility last December.
Chief Insp. Neil Avisado, the jail warden, said Angie gave birth sometime last Jan. 20-23.
News of her condition reached Sun.Star Cebu after reports that a minor got pregnant inside the jail.
Osmeña also said that another minor, who was recently taken in the facility, was found pregnant.
“She was already pregnant. Buntis na daan. Please make it clear that she did not get pregnant inside (Operation Second Chance),” she told Sun.Star Cebu in a telephone interview.
Avisado said another inmate did not have her regular period last January and was taken to the clinic for a pregnancy test. The result was negative.
Osmeña said Angie does not have a permanent home and temporarily lives at the pier area.
She had been in and out of Second Chance and was jailed for snatching before her imprisonment for shoplifting.
Osmeña said Angie is better off inside the jail because many are looking after her and her baby.
Aside from seven other female inmates, house parents also accompany her.
“She is safer inside. She is a nursing mother and is well taken care of there,” Osmeña said.
Avisado said they are trying to protect the good reputation of the facility, so they would not dare touch the minors.
He denied reports that jail guards would ask the female minors to give them a massage, saying he enforces a “no-contact” policy between his men and the inmates.
“Simbako. Dili na mahitabo gyud diri kay ang gipaningkamotan nako nga dili mamansahan ang Second Chance (God forbid, that will never happen here because I’m trying hard not to tarnish the reputation of Second Chance),” he said in a separate telephone interview.
A source told Sun.Star Cebu that the minors are hit when they refuse, an allegation that Avisado also denied. (RHM/JST)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 23, 2006 issue)
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