Brgy officials want list of ex-cons

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City barangay officials want City Jail warden Johnson Calub to furnish them a list of newly-released ex-convicts every month because they want to help these persons.

Councilor Michael Ralota, who sits as an ex-officio member of the Cebu City Council being the president of the ABC, said barangay officials really want to help ex-convicts find their livelihood after their release from prison.

According to Ralota, there is a need for the barangay officials to help ex-convicts to discourage them from committing more crimes.

Ralota, barangay captain of T. Padilla, said he observed that one of the reasons why several ex-convicts would be forced to commit crimes again after their release from jail is because they cannot find jobs.

He said the barangay officials are very willing to help the ex-convicts by teaching them about livelihood projects. "Ato sila nga matudloan sama sa pagpanupi, panahi ug uban pa nga panginabuhian sa tinarong nga paagi. (We can teach them various livelihood programs such as cutting hair and sewing.)"

The ABC president further said that the participation of the private sector and the civil society in the values appreciation and thorough rehabilitation of the newly-released prisoners and ex-convicts must be strengthened in order to facilitate their re-integration to the mainstream society.

Ralota said the newly-released prisoners are confronted by a range of social, economic and personal challenges that can be barriers to a crime-free lifestyle while also facing the difficulty of finding new means of earning a living.

He added that it is the job of the city government to establish and provide measures for the maintenance and improvement of jails and detention centers and institute a sound jail management program to promote peace and order.

Ralota believed that if the government will not help these newly-released prisoners and ex-convicts, they might go back to their criminal activities.  (FREEMAN)