Wednesday, October 10, 2007 Cell phones, gadgets banned inside jails By Reynaldo G. Navales
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios, laptop computers and other devices are all now banned inside detention cells of police stations.
This developed as Pampanga Police Provincial Director Keith Ernald Ll Singian on Tuesday directed all chiefs of police to adhere to the recent directive from higher headquarters to strictly prohibit the possession by inmates of mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios, laptop computers and other similar devices capable of sending and receiving messages stressing that said were all considered as contrabands.
Reports reaching Camp Crame revealed that mobile phone use by inmates inside detention cells is rampant, and has given rise to the possibility of exploitation and misuse by lawless and unscrupulous individuals as their means of communication in carrying out their illicit activities.
Singian said the PNP observes a policy that all types of weapons, substances or chemicals that may cause injury to persons and items or articles which a detainee is not allowed to possess under custodial rules shall be considered as contraband items subject for confiscation.
He has identified contraband items as firearms, cellular phones and pagers, bladed and pointed instruments, hazardous chemicals, dangerous and regulated drugs, medicines (except those prescribed by a doctor), electric appliances, equipment, metal, glass and other breakable wares, camera and video equipment, intoxicating beverages, kitchen utensils (knife and can opener), table utensils (spoon and fork), mechanical utensils (screwdriver, pliers etc), and other items deemed detrimental to the safety of the detainees and security of the facility and custodial personnel.
He, however, disclosed that said confiscated items shall remain with the owner-inmate from whom said items were taken and as such items shall be returned not to the owner-inmate while being confined in the detention cell but to any person authorized by the owner-inmate in writing to receive the same. The recipient in turn shall issue a receipt acknowledging receipt of the item.
Singian added that in case the returned item be confiscated for the second time in the detention cell, this shall be kept by the police station property custodian who shall issue a receipt for the purpose. The item then will be returned to the owner-inmate only when he is released from confinement.
Meanwhile, Pampanga Police Operations Division Chief Homer Penecilla summed up on the conditions of lock-up facilities of the Pampanga police force and has pointed out that there are at least 21 existing detention cells manned by police personnel.
Penecilla revealed that the Arayat detention cell is being manned by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) while the municipality of Minalin has no existing detention cell.
He furthered that out of 21 detention cells, 10 are mixed jails accommodating both adults and minor (male/female) and 11 have separate jails for both genders.
