City Hall will not grant jail requests

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government will not grant the requests of the Cebu City Jail unless the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology replaces jail warden Felixberto Jagorin Jr.

Last week, Mayor Michael Rama wrote a letter to BJMP-7 director Romeo Salazar asking the latter for Jagorin’s immediate replacement as he already lost trust in the warden.

Rama cited two major reasons for his request: the jailbreak incidents and Jagorin’s testimony in court that he cannot secure the safety of SPO1 Adonis Dumpit at the city jail.

Romeo Cordova, City Hall consultant for security and peace and order and presiding officer of the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC), said they will wait for Salazar’s response but will not grant any request from the city jail until Jagorin is replaced.

Cordova said Rama was close to approving the city jail’s request for the reinstatement of the P1,000 monthly allowance of each jail guard and warden. But because of what happened, the mayor backed out.

He said the mayor was also considering the reinstatement of the P200,000 monthly rice allowance.

“Until BJMP gives us a more competent jail warden, dili mosugot ang mayor na ibalik ilang allowance,” Cordova said.

BJMP personnel at the city jail used to receive monthly allowance from the city government before but the assistance was stopped in 2002 after reports of alleged corruption at the jail.

Former Tomas Osmeña found out that the city jail was receiving too much but its officials were not able to justify where the money goes. (FREEMAN)