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Sunday, February 23, 2003
95 women, minors booted out of jail
By Mia E. Abellana and Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
• As jail officials scramble to explain presence of illegal occupants, inmate who was at a government hospital breaks free of handcuffs, escapes; but he surrenders 2 hours later
• Inmates howl at inspection, threaten to start noise barrage, but are pacified
• Jail's troubles mounting: since last year, it's been investigated for alleged special favors to some inmates, diversions or misuse of meal allowances, trafficking of illegal drugs
• Inspectors take scissors, hacksaw, Swiss knife from controversial inmate Ruben Ecleo Jr., while ex-policeman Engilberto Durano uses chance to confront warden to deny involvement in illegal drug peddling
CEBU -- With the flak the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC) has been getting, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) 7 ordered a major inspection inside the whole compound Saturday dawn.
Dubbed Oplan Greyhound, the search shocked officials, who found some families of the estimated 1,700 inmates living inside the jail as well. Drugs and other contraband were also found.
At least 95 women and children were forced out of their beds and made to stay outside the facility while the inspection was going on.
Of the 95 "visitors," 22 were minors, one to 14 years old.
Among the women were Janice Rafols, live-in partner of suspected drug lord Joel "Tongol" Nodalo, and their two children.
Just as the personnel were conducting the inspection, an inmate admitted at the city hospital managed to unlock his handcuffs and escape at 5 a.m.
However, suspected shoplifter Wilmer Brigoli, 23, surrendered to his policeman-uncle, PO3 Rey Dosdos, at the Pardo Police Station two hours later.
Brigoli said he had no intention of escaping. He merely wanted to inform his wife that he was at the hospital, since nobody was taking care of him.
JO1 Juanito Camacho Jr., the jail guard assigned at the Cebu City Medical Center, also had to check on three other inmates admitted there.
'I'm not surprised'
"You look at my face. Do I look surprised?" Mayor Tomas Osmeña told reporters when sought for comment on the presence of the families at BBRC.
With this development, Osmeña said he will see to it that the withdrawal of the P200,000 food subsidy to the city jail will be implemented immediately.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama, for his part, said it would make him "happier" if the operation is done regularly.
In a separate interview, City Councilor Procopio Fernandez said BBRC Warden Supt. Primitivo Benitez should explain why the families were "overstaying" in the jail.
He expressed concern for the children who are being exposed to the "dangers" inside the jail.
Officials were surprised to see the families inside because there was no visiting schedule the day before.
Benitez said they must have hidden inside the jail after visiting hours ended last Thursday and stayed on.
DILG 7 representative Insp. Amancio Yap supervised the inspection conducted by personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) 7, Regional Training School 7 cadets, Special Weapons and Tactics team, Bureau of Fire Protection and the Mabolo Police Station.
Head count
Inmates almost protested the inspection, threatening to call a noise barrage and refusing to allow jail personnel to conduct the morning head count after seeing their families being dragged out of jail.
They also did not want the visiting schedule Saturday cancelled.
But Benitez appealed to them not to create trouble and succeeded in having the head count.
However, he allowed the temporarily displaced families inside once again, on the condition that they leave at exactly 5 p.m.
Two intelligence officers from the BJMP central office also arrived to begin a probe on the alleged irregularities inside the jail.
SJO4 Enrique Antipolo and SJO2 Guerrero Dionco will be looking into the involvement of BJMP personnel in these irregularities.
During the search, officials confiscated television sets, VCD players, Play Station units, mini components and gas burners hidden inside kobol units or makeshift private cubicles.
Entertainment sets shared by inmates were not touched. Jail officials said inmates need recreation.
Drugs
They also found several shabu paraphernalia, four packets of shabu, liquor bottles, beer cans and scrap metals sharpened so that these could be used as weapons.
There were several packs containing fine white crystal powder, but authorities have yet to determine if the substance was shabu or tawas.
Some of the shabu paraphernalia were found in the cell occupied by former policeman Engilberto Durano, but it couldn't be confirmed yet if these belonged to him.
Earlier this week, BJMP 7 Assistant Regional Director Reynaldo Berdin filed a motion to transfer Durano to the Lapu-Lapu City jail for his alleged involvement in drug trafficking inside the jail.
The court denied the request last Friday.
Berdin said he will just wait for the completion of the new jail facility in Kalunasan. The new jail is expected to be finished in two months.
The inspection also gave Durano a chance to talk to Berdin.
Durano, who is being tried for murder, frustrated murder and kidnapping for ransom, told Berdin he is not involved in drug trafficking inside the jail.
Stay inside
He also said he was not violating any rules by helping jail guards in their duties at the main gate.
"Gikinahanglan man nila ang akong tabang kay nagkuwang man sila," he explained to Berdin. (They need my help because they are undermanned.)
"Dili man pwede kay piniriso man ka. Ayaw na lang sila tabangi anha lang ka sa sulod," Berdin told him. (It's not allowed because you are a prisoner. You stay inside.)
Jail personnel confiscated from cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr. a hacksaw, a Swiss knife and two pairs of scissors, which he was using to carve a guitar from plastic and a house model from cardboard.
Ecleo, who is being tried for the killing of his wife Alona, said he was keeping himself busy with such projects to fight boredom.
Since the tools Ecleo used were contraband and could be used by other inmates as weapons and escape tools, Benitez said he will return these to the controversial inmate when he wants to work on his projects. (Sun.Star Cebu) |
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