|
Sunday, September 07, 2003
New warden named; power struggle up
By Mia E. Abellana
CEBU -- Another warden took control over the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC) Saturday, the ninth one for the Cebu City jail since February last year.
Following the escape of three inmates, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology central office assigned Supt. Nestor Velasquez Sr. to head the BBRC.
Prisoners Fedelito Gabilan, Ramon Salomon and Allan Maldo climbed a 15-foot wall, cut the interlink wire and slid down a steel pipe while two tower guards were fast asleep early Friday. They remain at large.
With bags in tow, Velasquez arrived at the BBRC Saturday morning to the surprise of everyone, including current warden Chief Insp. Gledo Baroro.
Velasquez said he was instructed by Gen. Arturo Alit, BJMP chief, to pack his bags and take the first flight to Cebu Friday afternoon. Since all the flights were fully booked, he took the earliest flight Saturday.
He also said that until orders are issued, Baroro will remain deputy warden at the BBRC.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary for Peace and Order Marius Corpus told radio dyLA that the department has yet to approve Alit's recommendation, but that there was nothing wrong with assigning Velasquez in the Cebu City jail.
However, Corpus might discuss with Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama the reassignment of former BBRC warden Supt. Mamerto Baroro, who is now assigned in Zamboanga City.
Rama earlier expressed his preference for Mamerto, noting that there were no jailbreaks during his term as warden.
Plans
Velasquez told reporters he plans to ask the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) central office for more personnel.
He noted that the 67 jail officers are not enough to handle 1,964 inmates. "If there is lack of personnel, security is sacrificed."
He also said that the structure seemed very old and that he will propose to Mayor Tomas Osmeņa to let them transfer to the new facility in Kalunasan.
Here's where a conflict could erupt. The mayor wants an oversight committee to supervise the new jail, before he will allow the BBRC inmates transferred there.
DILG's Corpus, in Saturday's interview, stressed the law will not allow such an arrangement.
Velasquez was the BJMP's director for operations and concurrent chief of the office of general services before he was ordered to head for Cebu City.
He admitted that it was his first time to be assigned here in Cebu and was well aware of the controversial issues hounding the jail.
"But I will try my best," he said.
For his part, Gledo said he has no ill feelings about his replacement. "It is normal in our job to be reassigned."
In earlier interviews, he said he was ready for whatever will happen as a result of the escape.
As for the manhunt for the three escapees, Gledo said they had information that Salomon is already out of Cebu Province, while Gabilan and Maldo went together.
Missed chance
The Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau (CIIB) missed Gabilan by a few minutes when he returned home early Friday night.
CIIB Chief Pablo Labra II said Gabilan went home to Veteran's Village in Lahug, Cebu City and hid in an empty store.
He left just a few minutes before the CIIB arrived.
While the BJMP 7 information revealed that Gabilan and Maldo were together, Labra said they learned that all three went their separate ways.
The CIIB will be searching for Gabilan in a town where he reportedly has relatives.
Velasquez has his work cut out for him, with a highly congested jail and "depleted" human resources.
Prior to his assignment at the central office, Velasquez was warden of the General Santos City jail from January 1997 to April 2001.
Velasquez said that Alit gave him a verbal order last Friday and that the written order was pending approval from Corpus.
"It is the management prerogative of our higher-ups that when there is an escape in the area, the warden will be relieved under the doctrine of command responsibility," he said.
"But if the warden is not found liable in the escape, he will be given the chance to return to his former assignment or he will be placed in a higher position. He may also be transferred to another jail as a promotion, not a punishment," Velasquez said. |
|
|
|
 |
| click
to comment on this article or discuss it with other readers |
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
