13 inmates ‘tie knot’ inside Cebu City jail

CEBU, Philippines — At least 13 male inmates exchanged “I dos” with their brides in a mass wedding inside the Cebu City Jail yesterday afternoon.

Justice Marilyn Yap of Court of Appeals Cebu City Station presided over the ceremony.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, in partnership with the Junior Chamber International (JCI) WoMandaue, headed by Blanche Aliño, Area Chair for Visayas, initiated a mass wedding.

“Bisag buwag mi, wala mi gakuyog, dako ko’g pasalamat niya (wife) kay willing gyud siya nga modalaw nako diri,” said Rommel, one of the inmates who tied the knot yesterday.

He added that even when he has lived together with his bride, Jasmin, for 10 years, he still felt the excitement of finally marrying the woman he dreams of spending his life with.

He even thought that his incarceration was a blessing in disguise, since they would not have gotten married had he not been imprisoned due to financial reasons.

Rommel has been in the city jail for a year and nine months now.

He said the authorities just dragged him without any reason while he was driving his tricycle in Barangay Pasil.  He later found out that he has been charged with selling and possession of illegal drugs.

He, however, is thankful to the sponsors and the police officers in the city jail for allowing such activity to be realized given the circumstances that they are in.

His son was also in the ceremony to witness the exchanging of vows of his parents.

Jail Officer II Alex Salutan, Inmates Welfare and Development Officer, said they have limited the activity to the members of the family of both the inmates and brides, since the venue cannot accommodate more.

Aliño, for her part, expressed her sincerity as part of JCI WoMandaue in initiating ‘Love beyond Prison Walls’ to the inmates as she was once a jail officer.

She claimed that she knew how the inmates struggle inside the jail facilities.

“They deserve this especially their wives and their children, for value reformation or transformation. We know that despite their being an inmate, there’s still kindness within them, so this is one way of acknowledging that kindness,” Aliño said.

She also added that the Cebu City Jail is the second facility where they conducted a mass wedding activity. They also had the same activity at the Mandaue City Jail last November 3, where 11 inmates benefited.

Aliño said that JCI WoMandaue is thankful to all the volunteers, wedding suppliers and organizers of Cebu City, who worked with them to make the event successful.

The JCI WoMandaue plans to make this activity a sustainable project.

Several guests who graced the activity include Justice Yap, Supt. Neil Avisado, Assistant Regional Director for Operations of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-7, and Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak. — Mary Kristine M. Cameros, CNU Comm Intern (FREEMAN)