City to take over garbage collection at jail

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Landfill Manager and Assistant Department Head of the Department of Public Services (DPS) Randy Navarro said that the City Government will take over the collection of garbage from the Cebu City Jail following reports of an inmate who were able to smuggle a firearm through a garbage truck.

Navarro said that this is to erase doubts that the garbage collection is being used for illegal activities.

“Amoa man nang trabaho ang pagkolekta sa basura diha sa una. Amo lang gihatag sa barangay kay daghan man sila’g garbage trucks,” Navarro said. (We used to handle garbage collection there although later on, we gave it to the barangays because they have several trucks.)

Barangay Kalunasan, where the city jail is situated, have four garbage trucks.

Navarro said that the job was delegated to the barangay as it seemed then that the barangay could handle it.

With the issue on the firearm smuggling, Navarro said it is better to take over the job.

Only the collection of garbage at the city jail will be handled by the DPS but the barangay will still do the collection of garbage in its territory.

Navarro said, though, that this arrangement still needs the approval of DPS Chief Dionisio Gualiza.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology has requested the replacement of the two garbage collectors immediately following the discovery of the smuggled gun.

The incident happened last August 15. A box containing a .22 caliber pistol with four live ammunition was found in possession of inmate Isidro Nudalo who is now detained in the city jail’s maximum security cell.

The firearm was allegedly smuggled through the garbage truck that picked up the trash an hour past noon. The garbage collectors denied a hand in the incident.

The jail has also implemented extra security measures and systems improvement.

Garbage trucks are no longer allowed to enter the second fence to prevent contacts with the inmates. –(FREEMAN)