By Angeline Valencia
Bohol Chronicle
Inmates at the City of Tagbilaran Rehabilitation Center (CTRC) calmed down after the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Regional Director Romeo Vio assured them that their complaints of inhumane treatment— whether completely true or not—will never happen in the future.
The inmates peacefully returned to their respective prison cells on Friday after a dialogue with Vio who arrived at the height of the tension at the CTRC.
They were appeased especially when Vio gave them his cellphone number for them to directly contact him whenever they have complaints in the future.
Gines Ronda, overall chairman of the inmates, gained courage to air out their woes when dyRD sought his comment after Jail Senior Inspector Josephus Jelianggao, jail warden of City of Tagbilaran Rehabilitation Center or CTRC, vehemently denied the alleged inhumane treatment they suffered under his watch.
LETTER AND
COMPLAINANTS
DYRD was furnished a copy of the letter-complaint of the CTRC inmates dated September 28, 2011, seeking the mayor's intervention against the alleged “cruel, unjust and inhumane treatment that they were subjected to by Jelianggao, the newly-installed jail wardenâ€.
Three of the four pages of the letter contained the signatures of Ronda, Samuel Dacal-dacal as “selda mayor de mayoresâ€, Retchie Signar as secretary, Meloy Laborte as auditor and leader of cell no. 2; three juries--Jairus Atup, Teofilo Cimafranca, Michael Cuñado; Ruel Pagsiat as “bastoneroâ€, Carl Wynne Medel as property custodian and leader of cell no. 6; “prison cell leaders called “mayorsâ€â€”Michael Torillo of cell no. 1, Melvin Capa of cell no. 3, Cloyd Tagab of cell no. 4, Dennis Yu of cell no. 5; cell no. 7 trustee Teofilo Sarabia and their member inmates in the seven prison cells.
Including their signatures, the last page contains those of 13 inmates of prison cell no. 1; 15 inmates of cell no. 2; 10 in cell no. 3; 12 in cell no. 4; 15 in cell no. 5; 14 in cell no. 6 and 10 in cell no.7.
INCONSISTENCIES?
The computer printed letter contained inconsistencies as Torillo signed as inmate in cell no. 2, Bernabe Dacal-Dacal-cell no. 1 (but no Samuel Dacal-Dacal in the list), Camilo Laborte-cell no. 3 (no Meloy Laborte in the list), Benz Capa-cell no. 4 (no Melvin Capa, Cloyd Tagab-cell no. 5, Dennis Yu-cell no. 6, Carl Wynne Medel-cell no. 7
This sparked the suspicion that a conduit outside the prison cell was preparing the letter for them and was guiding their arguments.
In the letter, the inmates alleged that the current system implemented by the warden violates their basic human rights because they were served with spoiled food unfit for human consumption; and that some inmates were forcibly awakened late at night only to be beaten up outside their cells.
They also mentioned in the letter that only the warden's favorite inmates were allowed to attend the Holy Mass and the group Rosary.
Other inmates wanted to attend these religious activities but were not allowed by the warden.
They also claimed that some inmates were prohibited from receiving visitors “without any valid reason and the jail has no guidelines or clear policy regarding this matterâ€.
However, Jelianggao denied all the allegations against him.
Jelianggao even claimed in an interview with dyRD Patrol Balita on Thursday that Ronda denied about the letter when he confronted him.
The city jail warden also said he welcomes any investigation or fact-finding just for truth to come out.
He also denied an allegation sent through dyRD Txtklamo center that he prohibits inmates to accept items brought by visitors if such items are available and can be bought from the store inside the jail.
Jelianggao also explained that limiting the number of inmates in every prayer gathering or mass at the chapel was just to avoid congestion and was never intended to discriminate anybody contrary to allegations of the inmates.
He said he is just strictly implementing the policies of BJMP, especially after some untoward incidents including the death of an inmate who was allegedly mauled by fellow inmates, and the instances when visitors were caught trying to sneak drugs, and some other prohibited items such as cellular phones.
Jelianggao said he was even surprised that Ronda was able to contact radio stations to air out the concerns of inmates through cellphone.
In an interview with Tagbilaran By Night (TBN) program that day, Ronda reiterated the content of the letter to correct Jelianggao's statement that the inmates denied having lodged a complaint.
The tension started to escalate that night when Ronda made it known to the public that the inmates would go on hunger strike until Jelianggao would allow them to take their dinner at the hallway.
But Jelianggao wanted them to get inside their cells first and the jail personnel would just serve their meals there as he avoids chaos if they be allowed to eat at the hallway, considering the tension.
Ronda called on the media to see for themselves the bruises that at least three of their fellow inmates sustained after having been mauled allegedly on the order of Jelianggao.
He named the three inmates as Armando Sumaylo, Bernabe Dacal-dacal and Gilbert Taghoy.
Ronda requested TBN to send a reporter to check them personally right then while the bruises are still there.
He also demanded for a dialogue with Jelianggao and that the media must document it for the public to know their situation inside the CTRC.
Ronda even told TBN that they wanted Jelianggao to be replaced.
TBN anchor Jerry Pabe explained that the reporters would be there first hour the following day since it was already very late at night.
Jelianggao agreed to have a dialogue with the inmates the following day, depending on the level of the tension in the jail.
He warned then to employ reasonable force if the inmates would continue to refuse to follow jail policies.
Indeed, dyRD reporters checked the CTRC first hour in the morning of Friday, but Jelianggao refused to grant the dialogue as he observed that Ronda's group had grown even more demanding and tried to assert that they are still left with some rights parallel to “free men†being not convicted yet.
Jelianggao remained firm on jail policies and continued to ask the inmates to return to their respective cells and eat their meals first. But Ronda said that once they go back to their cells they would be locked up so he tried to assure the media and the jail warden that they would stay calm while at the hallway within a padlocked area.
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=43874.0
Topic: Inhuman Treatment at Tagbilaran City Jail? (Read 1752 times)