The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) assured Friday, Nov. 18, the safety of television host Vhong Navarro once he is committed to the Taguig City Jail (TCJ) at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.
BJMP-National Capital Region (NCR) Director, Chief Supt. Efren Nemeno said Navarro’s family should not fear for the actor’s security at the Taguig City Jail. This, despite the detention facility having a 400-percent congestion rate.
Although classified as a high-value person deprived of liberty (PDL), Nemeno said that Navarro will be in a cell with regular inmates.
Nemeno gave strict orders to jail warden Supt. Lloyd Gonzaga that Navarro should never be accorded with preferential treatment.
As of this writing, the BJMP Taguig was still waiting for Navarro’s commitment.
“Waiting pa rin kami sa NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) kung kailan ico-commit ang akusado (We are still waiting for the NBI when the accused will be committed),” Gonzaga said.
Nemeno stated that NBI agents visited the facility on Nov. 16 to inquire about the requirements needed for the actor’s commitment.
This was after the Taguig Regional Trial Court denied Navarro’s motion to remain at the NBI detention while he is facing a non-bailable charge of rape filed by former model Deniece Cornejo.
Upon his commitment at the TCJ, Gonzaga said Navarro would initially be placed in isolation as part of the jail’s Covid-19 health protocols for new inmates.
“Mga five to 10 days siguro considering na fully vaccinated naman siya ( going to take five to 10 days probably since he is fully vaccinated),” Gonzaga stated.
After that, the TCJ leadership will decide where to place the accused.
As of Nov. 17, the four-storey Taguig City Jail with eight cells in each floor has a population of 980 inmates.
Gonzaga said that the facility is dominated by the Sputnik Gang which comprises more or less 70 percent of the PDL population.
If Navarro has to have no gang affiliations, the entertainment personality will most likely be placed at the Cuerna which is a cell for PDLs with no gang links.
“Wala siyang dapat ipag-alala sa kanyang safety dahil ang trabaho namin ay pangalagaan ang bawat PDL na nasa aming kustodiya (He has nothing to worry about his safety since our responsibility is to assure the security of each PDL in our custody),’’ Gonzaga said.