• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
A jail visitor at Negros Occidental District Jail Male Dormitory (NODJ-MD) was immediately arrested after jail guards intercepted 2 sachets of shabu and marijuana inside a homemade ‘kalan’ he brought for one of the inmates.
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Negros Island Region (BJMP-NIR) said in a statement that the visitor identified as James Diaz Jr. of Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City, was carrying a homemade ‘kalan’ containing suspected illegal drugs, intended for his friend who was detained inside the facility for a drug case. BJMP withheld the identification of the inmate who was supposed to receive the drugs.
The interception comes following the complaints raised by human rights advocates and some of the families and relatives of the persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) regarding the strict implementation of security measures in the jail.
Complaints had already been voiced to the House of Representatives during the privilege speech of Kabataan Partylist Representative Atty. Renee Co, who visited Bacolod City during the second trillion-march rally on November 30.
In response, the administration of NODJ-MD under the management of JSupt. Crisyrel Awe has disputed all the allegations, claiming that the strict implementation of jail rules was to ensure the safety of the inmates and the effective rehabilitation program of the detention facility.
It stressed that the strict conduct of strip and cavity searches of those who enter the jail is part of a lawful policy of the BJMP pursuant to BJMP SOP 2010-05.
Meanwhile, BJMP-NIR Director JCSupt. Brendan Fulgencio expressed his commendation to the personnel of the detention facility for their alertness and dedication, especially those who were assigned at the jail’s entrance gate.*
