MISAMIS Oriental Governor Yevgeny Vincente Emano said should the court fail to grant his petition to stop the transfer of detained Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia to Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail (MOPJ), the latter’s security might be at stake.
Emano said he is still waiting for the court's decision but added that he has remained hopeful the court would see the Provincial Government's dilemma on taking in Regencia to the MOPJ.
Emano has maintained that the provincial jail is undermanned and lacks facility.
"Kung moingon gayud ang court na ipabalhin gayud, mapugos gayud kita (If the court insists on the transfer, then we will be forced to accept it)," Emano said.
However, as long as the matter is still in their hands, Emano said he would do everything to stop the move.
"Samtang naa gayud sa among mga kamot amo gayud apelahan, ug kung mahitabo man gani, mangayo gayud mi ug tabang sa kapulisan kay dili gayud namo makaya (For as long as this is in our hands, we would continue to appeal and if it really pushes through [the transfer] we will ask for police support since this is beyond us)," he added.
He said the jail is only supposed to accommodate 200 prisoners but it has now a total population of 500.
He added it is also impossible to make a 'special room' inside the provincial jail for Regencia because the jail already has reached to its maximum capacity.
"Kung nahuman lang unta ang provincial jail sa Initao, dili gayud namo balibaran pero sa karon, dili lang gayud nato makaya (If only the provincial jail in Initao has been completed, we will never decline with the transfer but right now it is not possible)," he said.
Emano fears a spillover of politics in Iligan might happen in the city noting that this issue has long been a matter of politics.
"Kung kalambuan unta ang katuyuan, pwede man maghiusa pero kung pulitika, ayaw nalang, dili nalang dalhon dinhi (If this is for development, we can unite but if this is politics, it is better it won’t be brought here)," he added.