DOJ suspends 2 prisons execs over Jalosjos ‘escape’

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered the suspension of the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) superintendent and the chief of the Bureau of Correction’s administrative division, a week after BuCor director Ricardo Dapat was sacked over the controversial escape of convicted child rapist Romeo Jalosjos.

Justice Undersecretary Fidel Exconde said NBP Superintendent Juanito Leopando and BuCor administrative division chief Teodora Diaz has been placed under a 90-day preventive suspension since Saturday.

Exconde said the suspension came as the initial investigation showed the officials were involved in the escape of Jalosjos.

The former Zamboanga del Norte congressman, convicted of two life terms for statutory rape in 1998, walked out of prison and flew to his hometown in Dapitan City last week.

Jalosjos claimed he had been released upon the orders of Dapat with a copy of the release order signed by Leopando.

Exconde had been appointed to head a body to investigate the escape that left officials unable to explain how Jalosjos had walked out of prison.

Exconde said the investigation is focusing on why Leopando had authorized Jalosjos’ release from the NBP when Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez had already ordered the release order recalled.

Exconde added the DOJ has information showing Jalosjos’ supposed release was not properly processed.

Jalosjos should have been interviewed and had his photograph and fingerprints taken for records purposes, he said.

But the DOJ learned the procedure was not made in the case of Jalosjos.

“It should have been done on the day of the release itself. But according to our information, he (Jalosjos) did not pass through the process,” Exconde said.

“The required pre-release procedure was not complied with. The release is not the final act. There should have been preparatory acts,” he added.

Exconde also lashed at Leopando for “getting way ahead of the process.”

He said Leopando had apparently cut corners to facilitate the immediate release of the convict.

Gonzalez ordered the recommitment of Jalosjos to jail following the escape to Dapitan.

Jalosjos surrendered to the police and was detained at the San Ramon Penal Colony in Zamboanga City.

Jalosjos filed a habeas corpus petition before the courts questioning the recommitment order on him by claiming he was illegally arrested.

The former lawmaker maintained his release was valid and duly authenticated by prison officials.

Gonzalez said the DOJ is considering the filing of charges for evasion of service of sentence against Jalosjos. The additional charges could prolong Jalosjos’ stay at the NBP, he said.

Following the embarrassing escape, President Arroyo ordered the relief of Dapat and appointed former national police chief Oscar Calderon as acting BuCor chief.

Dapat announced the release of Jalosjos on Dec. 15, a week before the former congressman flew home to Dapitan.

Dapat admitted signing the release papers of Jalosjos who has substantially served his reduced sentence under the law.

Dapat claimed he had already advised Malacañang and DOJ about the pending early release of Jalosjos.

He said their computation showed Jalosjos had also earned credits for good behavior, which further reduced his jail term which supposedly meant an early release in December.

The release order was based on the computation made by BuCor but the DOJ disputed it by claiming it was not official.

Malacañang had denied having anything to do with the release of Jalosjos.