Abalos orders probe into protest action of 100 Iloilo inmates
By Chito Chavez
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ Abalos Jr. ordered a thorough investigation into the protest action of at least 100 inmates of the Iloilo District Jail in Pototan, Iloilo due to the alleged inedible food at the facility.
Being an attached agency of the DILG, Abalos ordered BJMP chief Director Allan Iral to conduct an immediate and intense probe on the unfortunate incident and to temporarily relieve Jail Chief Inspector Norberto Miciano from his post as jail warden to give way to an impartial investigation.
“We have also instructed BJMP VI Regional Director Jail Chief Supt. Clint Russel A. Tangeres to immediately attend to the concerns of the persons deprived of liberty and ensure that they are provided with adequate food and other necessities,’’ Abalos said.
The PDLs also claimed that the food delivered to them by their visitors were being reduced to supposedly force them to buy inside the prison at exorbitant prices.
But the legal counsel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Region 6 denied the allegations, saying the jail had a food supervisor who oversaw the supplies.
Abalos assured that the DILG through the BJMP will continue to undertake measures to improve the jail services and jail facilities to help in the rehabilitation of PDLs and their eventual reintegration to the society.
BJMP spokesperson Supt. Xavier Solda noted that a series of dialogues with the PDLs are being conducted by the bureau to dig deeper on the complaints and unearth the veracity of the inmates’ grievances.
“BJMP Chief Jail Director Allan Iral directed the Regional Director of BJMP Regional Office VI to attend on the concerns of PDL. Jail Chief Inspector Norberto Miciano was already relieved from his post to give way for an impartial investigation,’’ Solda stated. (Chito A. Chavez)