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Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Abuse of drug rehab patients confirmed
CEBU CITY -- Acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama wants a new management and a change in the personnel of the Cebu Center for Ultimate Rehabilitation of Drug Dependents (Curedd) after finding out that its patients are indeed maltreated and abused physically.
Task Force Curedd also found out in its investigation that the center has yet to account for some P100,000 every month, which is part of the financial assistance of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and the P2,600 monthly payment of the patients.
With these findings, Rama created from the task force an oversight committee that will monitor the operations and management of the rehabilitation center.
He also asked that Curedd's management be turned over to the Department of Health (DOH) as soon as possible, which is mandated under Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Rama warned that City Hall will cut off its financial assistance to the center if the oversight committee is not accepted and the personnel who inflicted injuries on the patients are not relieved.
Twenty-four patients bolted from the facility on Salinas Drive, Lahug last Nov. 1. They had complained of maltreatment and bad food.
"We still lack testimonies and no one inside the center will stand by it but we know there are personnel who are inflicting injuries on the patients. I'd like to get their names and I want those people out. We're not assisting a center that promotes practices like mauling," he told reporters Monday.
The oversight committee should also be allowed to monitor the facilities and its operations, otherwise, the center will lose its aid from the City, he added.
The task force wrapped up their investigation last Friday and submitted their recommendations to Rama Monday.
Councilor Augustus Pe Jr., head of the committee, said they focused more on the irregularities of the center's operation and management and less on the individual employee of the center.
It is for this reason that they did not recommend any sanction on the guards who were on duty during the escape, despite the findings that some of them are said to be maltreating the patient.
Comprising the oversight committee are members of the task force created last Nov. 2, a day after 24 Curedd patients escaped the center.
Only 16 were brought back inside after a manhunt operation.
Pe said that harsh punishments given to the patients, such as 1,000 push-ups for minor offenses, were witnessed by the guards and were apparently tolerated.
Some of those who escaped were also beaten up in front of Curedd officials when they returned to the center.
"This maltreatment should not be tolerated, that is why I want new personnel and officers-in-charge. Those who are good, maybe we can retain them but those who are not, we'll have them out. No one is exempted, not even the chief (Dr. Vibal)," Rama said.
Pe also reported to Rama the discrepancy in the financial records of Curedd since there was a wide gap between their total monthly income and their monthly expenditures.
"When I compared their average monthly expenses and their monthly income from the monthly payment of the parents and the DDB subsidy, I noticed there was a difference of more or less P100,000 every month. We will not release the City's aid until they can account for this," Pe told Sun.Star.
He added that he will also ask for an audit of the City's annual subsidy of P590,000 for the center's bills and utilities after noting the discrepancy.
However, if it can be proven that the center is operating on insufficient budget, City Hall will also increase its financial aid, Pe added.
On top of the patients' monthly fee of P2,300 to P2,700 for their food, lodging and rehabilitation program, the DDB gives a financial assistance of P30 per meal per patient daily.
The incident last Tuesday was reportedly a result of the patients' complaints regarding the food served to them, the maltreatment of the wardens and the congestion in the facility. (LCR)
(November 9, 2004 issue)
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