MANDAUE City Jail Warden Jessie Calumpang has been reassigned three days after a drug suspect was killed inside the jail, and 60 other jail personnel will also be relieved by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) 7.
The jail warden of Medellin, JSupt. Gil Inopia Jr., will replace Calumpang, who will be transferred to the Lapu-Lapu City Jail.
Jail Chief Inspector Mary Jane Inopia, the BJMP 7 spokesperson, clarified that Calumpang’s transfer is only a reassignment and that he was not relieved as a result of the shooting to death of inmate Romy Ramas on Monday, July 29, 2019.
Inopia said he was surprised to learn about his new assignment that was supposed to take effect on Thursday, Aug. 1. The order was relayed on the same day.
He said he considers his new assignment a challenge because of the recent events at the Mandaue City Jail, specifically the shooting to death of inmate Ramas.
He promised to improve the security inside the jail to make sure no other inmate would die inside the facility.
“My transfer was supposed to take effect on Thursday and we were informed about it on the same day, so there was not enough time to prepare. Nagkuha ra ta ug unsay mabitbit nato kay kalit kaayo (I just took whatever I could bring. It was sudden),” Inopia said.
During the turnover ceremony at the BJMP 7, Inopia said he and Calumpang agreed that he would assume office next week.
Inopia is not new to the Mandaue inmates. He was the jail warden from 2014 to 2016, so he is familiar with the facility and the tasks that await him, he said.
Among the challenges he foresees is the continuous increase in the number of inmates. The jail has 1,875 inmates as of this week.
“We will assess the situation.... Whatever we need to do to ensure the safety of the inmates, I will make some adjustments. But I have to assess the situation first when I get there. If we need to tighten the security, we will do so. If we need to change the duty of our officers, we will do that,” Inopia added.
Aside from Calumpang, all 60 jail officers and office staff in Mandaue will also be transferred, a source from BJMP 7 confirmed.
As a result of the movement of personnel, the jail visit of the inmates’ families on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays was also suspended.
The BJMP assured, though, that it would lift the suspension as soon as the new set of jail officials has assumed their post. (from ANV of Superbalita Cebu/LRC)