The management of Negros Occidental District Jail – Male Dormitory (NODJ-MD) based in Bago City dismissed the allegation of abuses to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and visitors claimed by Kabataan party-list Representative Renee Co in a privilege speech on December 15.

In a statement released yesterday, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology – Negros Island Region (BJMP-NIR) said that NODJ-MD warden Supt. Crysrel Awe submitted an explanation based on the directive of regional director Chief Supt. Brendan Fulgencio to respond to the issues raised against his management, “as part of an ongoing investigation.”

“In the comment/explanation submitted by NODJ-MD, headed by Awe, it vehemently denied the allegations against his management and provided photographs to disprove the allegations,” said Senior Inspector Juniven Rey Umadhay, BJMP-NIR regional spokesperson.

On the conduct of strip and cavity search, it said that these are “part of the lawful policy of the BJMP pursuant to BJMP Standard Operating Procedures 2010-05.”

However, NODJ-MD management dismissed the claim of the complainants, stating that no record of visual cavity search was ever employed by the jail officers.”

The “only strip search was implemented by female jail officers for spouses requesting conjugal visitation.”

It added that conduct of the strip search is “part of the security measures considering the recent confiscation of four sachets of illegal drugs from the possession of a PDL, the lawful seizure of 58 smartphones, the interception of a .45-caliber pistol thrown inside the jail, and the shooting of a jail officer in front of the jail entrance.”

On the allegation of inhumane food served to PDLs, the NODJ-MD management submitted a menu list of food served to PDLs accompanied by photographs of food served during breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“Photographs of some of the actual food served were taken a month and weeks before the speech made by one of the party-list representatives, hence contradicting the allegations,” it added.

To counter the allegation on the cessation of sunning privileges, farming activities and the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program, the NODJ-MD management submitted photographs of PDLs availing of sunning privileges, engaging in farming and livelihood activities, and attending an ALS educational program dated before the December 4 complaint submitted by Kapatid Negros.

The NODJ-MD management reported that an income of more than P100,000 went to the PDLs working on the Christmas lantern livelihood and farming activities as of December 17 alone, as attested by the affidavit of the welfare development officer.

On the allegation of lack of medicines and health services, the jail management submitted photos of the actual distribution of maintenance medicines to PDLs and stocks of medicines in its clinic regularly distributed to PDLs.

“The regional director of BJMP-NIR reminds its officers and wardens that it will punish those who violate their oath as jail officers, if substantial evidence warrants. He also encourages the complainants to submit other pieces of evidence aside from their verbal and written allegations to support their complaint,” Umadhay said. (PNA)