Saturday, August 16, 2008 Tension grips South Cotabato jail
KORONADAL CITY -- Eleven jail guards were relieved and the warden was asked to take a leave of absence to pave the way for an investigation that would ease the tension gripping the South Cotabato Rehabilitation and Detention Center, South Cotabato Gov. Daisy P. Avance Fuentes said on Friday.
Early last week, hundreds of detainees at the provincial jail here staged a noise barrage and a hunger strike to demand the ouster of jail warden Nilo Sintin for alleged abuse of authority.
"I've assigned a new set of guards pending investigation on the complaints of the inmates," said the governor, who decided to directly take over the jail management.
The prisoners, backed by several jail guards, accused Sintin of corrupt practices and inhuman treatment.
The local media failed to reach him for comments on the latest development at the provincial jail.
But he had repeatedly denied allegations of corruptions and maltreatment of prisoners in his interviews.
