DID Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia issue a gag order for Byron Garcia, her younger brother and Capitol security consultant?
She reportedly issued a memorandum to all department heads and Byron, stating that all matters involving the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) and the inmates should have the governor’s consent.
“Effective immediately, all requests relative to CPDRC and CPDRC inmates shall require written clearance from the undersigned,” the governor’s memorandum reportedly read.
The inmates have again gained international attention after Michael Jackson’s choreographer, Travis Payne, and two Jackson back-up dancers from the “This is It” movie paid the inmates a visit and choreographed a new dance for them. They danced to “They Don’t Really Care About Us,” another Jackson song.
Reports about a gag order surfaced when a reporter (not from Sun.Star Cebu) sought to interview Byron but the latter allegedly said he could not grant an interview because of the memorandum.
Byron confirmed there was a memorandum but that he was not sure what it meant. He was at a meeting and could provide Sun.Star Cebu with a copy of the memo.
Byron explained that since 2007, when the inmates first became a hit on the video sharing site YouTube, there was already a standing memorandum that all related requests should be coursed through the governor.
“I don’t know. Maybe inside the CPDRC I cannot grant an interview because that would be a violation of the memorandum. But maybe outside, I can do the interview,” said Byron.
There are, he said, no hard feelings.
“Of course not. This is a standing order based on her official function as jailer, as the governor. It is her right to approve or disapprove requests,” said Byron.
“It is just appropriate, I’m just a consultant,” he added.
Sun.Star Cebu tried to get confirmation from the governor through her consultant on information and revenue generation, Atty. Rory Jon Sepulveda, but calls were not answered as of press time.
Byron said he received the memorandum last Thursday, just as GMA 7 reporter Jessica Soho visited Cebu to feature the dancing inmates. Soho aired the feature last night in her show “Kapuso Mo.”