• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) detained at Negros Occidental District Jail (NODJ) Male Dormitory in Barangay Tabunan, Bago City staged a noise barrage protest yesterday against Jail Warden Chief Inspector Atty. Crisyrel Awe, for allegedly unlawful rules and regulations being imposed inside the detention facility.
PDLs gathered on the rooftop of the facility and have displayed placards expressing their concerns over the alleged harassment, intimidation, and unjust isolation of inmates ordered by the jail warden.
During the noise barrage, PDLs shouted and expressed their concerns to oust the current warden from office.
“It’s like a hell here because of the warden,” one of the PDLs shouted while some were holding placards demanding the ouster of Warden Awe, and for PDL rights to be respected.
On August 25, the PDLs signed a petition and sent it to various government authorities, such as the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), urging them to investigate and oust the current warden from position.
It was stated in the petition that during the negotiation between the PDLs and the warden on August 24 with the presence of human rights lawyers, before the formal negotiations took place, the jail warden allegedly harassed and intimidated the negotiating panel composed of five PDL representatives.
It added that Awe was “wearing a bulletproof vest and military helmet, accompanied by armed personnel under his command,” which caused “psychological distress to the PDLs involved and created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.”
Furthermore, other concerns raised by the PDLs were the unjust isolation of two inmates and a cashless system which allegedly led to overpricing.
Due to the disturbance and the allegations of the PDLs, the BJMP-Negros Island Region implemented maximum security in the facility, while the Regional Police Office-NIR sent additional personnel for security purposes.
BJMP SIDE
BJMP-NIR spokesperson Jail Sr. Insp. Atty. Juniven Rey Umadhay said in an interview that the allegations were just a response of the jail guards pertaining to the recent incidents that happened in the facility.
On the morning of August 24, a .45 caliber firearm was thrown inside the jail’s perimeter wall, which allegedly came from outside.
One of the jail guards had heard that something was thrown from the outside, and upon close inspection, he saw something wrapped in masking tape, which turned out to be the firearm.
He also disclosed that a month ago there was an incident that happened in front of the facility where one of the jail guards was shot at, but fortunately the weapon misfired. Upon investigation, Umadhay said that the concerned jail officer was strict when recording the items that entered the facility.
Those are the reasons why they are implementing stricter rules inside the jail facility, including the wearing of bulletproof vests and military helmets, and not to threaten the PDLs, according to Umadhay.
“Again, the firearm was recovered, and we are happy that it happened before this scene because if not, this would have been a different situation if we hadn’t recovered the firearm,” Umadhay said.
“Their complaints regarding the intimidation, based on facts, were just a response to those incidents,” he added.
Moreover, BJMP-NIR had clarified that the concern regarding the two inmates who were unlawfully isolated was untrue. A press statement released on Wednesday said that those were the supposed recipients of the firearm thrown inside the facility.
“The separation of the 2 PDLs from the rest is a precautionary measure to protect them from any retribution from other PDLs for their alleged security violations,” it stated.
Umadhay also emphasized that the cashless and coupon policy that was implemented was a new rule imposed by the whole BJMP aiming to abolish the presence of money inside the jail, which caused trouble.
TEAR GAS, RUBBER BULLETS
After the protest, there were videos sent to some of the local media in Bacolod City, which allegedly came from one of the inmates.
The viral videos showed a chaotic scene inside the detention facility.
One of the inmates sent a video claiming that jail guards released tear gas inside the facility and shot inmates with rubber bullets as their response to the situation.
“The use of tear gas and rubber bullets is done with guidelines; it is only in the situation where there is a threat to the life [of jail guards] and government properties that we can use this equipment,” Umadhay clarified.
The BJMP-NIR vowed to conduct maximum tolerance to mitigate the situation and will conduct a thorough investigation regarding the issue.
The Bago City Component Police Office responded to the facility as requested by the BJMP for assistance.
AWE RELIEVED
As of 5:15 yesterday afternoon, Human Rights Advocate Negros confirmed in a Facebook post that after the eight-hour noise barrage, the BJMP had heard the plea of the inmates, as Awe was relieved from his office and will be replaced by Jail Senior Inspector Raymund Aro as the new officer-in-charge in NODJ.
The group claimed that they had a dialogue with the BJMP and verified that Awe left the detention facility in accordance with the mandate of the national department.*
