By CESAR JOLITO III
Human rights advocates in Negros Occidental have disputed the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s (BJMP) reported seizure of illegal drugs inside the Negros Occidental District Jail’s Male Dormitory (NODJ-MD), raising concerns about transparency and accountability in jail operations.
The Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN) on Saturday, November 22, denied the BJMP’s claim that four sachets of suspected shabu and six mobile phones — including an iPhone — were confiscated during greyhound operations conducted on November 18 and 20.
BJMP-NIR spokesperson Juniven Umadhay earlier confirmed the seizure, saying it followed intelligence information that contraband had been smuggled into the facility.
However, HRAN countered that the allegation was “malicious” and meant to divert attention from growing complaints against the current jail administration.
Strip search
The group pointed out that since the August 28 noise barrage was staged by inmates calling for the replacement of NODJ warden Jail Supt. Atty. Crisysrel Awe, the facility has intensified security protocols — including strip searches and body cavity searches — which HRAN says make the entry of illegal drugs “highly improbable.”
“[The] strip search and body cavity search procedures [are] considered inhumane and degrading. It’s completely naked when someone goes inside the jail facility,” HRAN said, arguing that blaming persons deprived of liberty only deflects attention from alleged institutional lapses.
Following the August protest, Awe voluntarily stepped down but was reinstated after an internal investigation.
HRAN urged the BJMP to ensure transparency in its operations and adhere to international and national jail management standards, including the 2015 United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules) and the BJMP Comprehensive Operations Manual.
While confirming the confiscation, Umadhay said the individuals responsible for the contraband have not yet been identified as investigations are ongoing.
He emphasized that the greyhound operation was a routine measure aimed at curbing illicit activities inside detention facilities./CJ, WDJ