• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
Following the authorities’ alleged seizure of illegal drugs inside the Negros Occidental District Jail – Male Dormitory (NODJ-MD) on November 20, the Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN) released a statement disputing the recovery of contraband inside the facility.
HRAN claims that the accusations thrown against the Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) were just a tactic of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), intended to deflect public scrutiny from mounting complaints against the current jail administration.
On August 28, inmates staged a noise barrage, calling for the replacement of Jail Warden JSupt. Atty. Crisyrel Awe. As a result, the warden voluntarily stepped down from his position, but was later reinstated after an investigation.
The advocates said that they are confident that the accusation was with malice, citing that the protocols since the noise barrage were strengthened and there was no way that drugs could enter.
“Since August the NODJ implemented the strip search and body cavity search, which is considered inhumane and degrading. It’s [required to get] completely naked when someone goes inside the jail facility,” HRAN said in an interview.
In a statement, HRAN emphasized that it is the BJMP’s duty to maintain security and prevent contraband from entering the facility, claiming that shifting blame to PDLs instead of addressing institutional shortcomings is both irresponsible and unfair.
The organization calls on the BJMP to uphold transparency, accountability, and compliance with the 2015 United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (or the Nelson Mandela Rules) as well as the BJMP Comprehensive Operations Manual 2015 Edition.
BJMP-NIR Spokesperson Atty. Juniven Umadhay had confirmed that the 2-day greyhound operations conducted on November 18 and 20 led to the confiscation of four sachets of suspected shabu and six units of cellular phones, including one iPhone.
The surprise greyhound operation was carried out after the authorities received information from the intelligence unit that illegal drugs and other contraband had been smuggled inside the detention facility.
However, Umadhay added that the possessors of that contraband are yet to be identified, as the investigation is underway.*
