Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN) strongly condemned the abusive and dictatorial policies imposed at Guihulngan District Jail by Jail Chief Inspector Ebylino Escano, a press release from the group said.
Yesterday, lawyer Rey Gorgonio was refused entry and private consultation with five of his clients at the jail. He was told that he must first secure permission from the BJMP Regional Director, it said.
In addition, the jail facility does not allow visitation from families of all the detainees, which is clearly an abusive policy that violates the constitutional rights of person deprived of liberties, the press release said.
Republic Act 7438 or Act Defining Rights of Persons Arrested Detained or Under Custodial Investigations states that “any person who obstructs, prevent or prohibits any lawyer, any member of the family from visiting or conferring privately with him at any hour of the day or in urgent cases of the night shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not less than four years nor more than six years and a fined of four thousand pesos”, it said.
HRAN calls for the conduct of an investigation on Jail Chief Inspector Ebylino Escano and his immediate removal from the facility, pending investigations. They also called for an investigation of other facilities all over the country where such policies exist.
HRAN will support Rey Gorgonio in filing administrative and criminal case against JCI Ebylino Escano, the press release added.*
