‘Anomalies’ uncovered at Pampanga drug rehab center

MAGALANG, Pampanga — Stories of sexual abuse, torture, hard labor, extortion and other alleged irregularities have been uncovered by police and top officials of the Sagip Bie Foundation Inc. (SBFI) at the six-hectare Central Luzon Drug Rehabilitation Center in Barangay Sto. Niño here.

This, after at least 50 relatives of the center’s wards sought the help of Senior Superintendent Efren Alamares, SBFI director, the other night.

They did so after police personnel reportedly refused to allow them to see their family members. A doctor brought by a Criminal Investigation Service (CIS) team to the center yesterday morning found at least 23 patients having hematoma and contusions, mostly on the buttocks.

"The relatives described the center as hell. At least one girl was (alleged) to have been raped. Many others told their relatives of how they were subjected to hard labor," Alamares said.

Relief, Criminal Raps

SPO4 Regino Raquipizo, CIS regional officer, told The STAR he has recommended the relief of and the filing of criminal charges against at least five policemen at the center.

He identified them as Senior Inspector Dindo Lagunda, SPO4 Wilfredo Paed, and PO1s Regidor Fernando, Eufemio Covardo Jr. and Restie Astrero.

He said police authorities are also considering the filing of a case for serious neglect of duty against Senior Superintendent Conrado Briton, SBFI executive director and regional chief of the Narcotics Command based at Camp Olivas.

Briton, however, told The STAR that he has also initiated an investigation into reports of physical injuries committed against the center’s wards.

Briton also denied allegations that there were irregularities in the use of SBFI funds.

Raquipizo said charges of grave abuse of authority is being readied against Lagunda, extortion against Paed, Fernando and Covardo, and serious physical injuries against Astrero who allegedly flogged the patients’ buttocks with a big wooden plank last Jan. 9.

Some of the policemen were alleged to be fining the center’s wards P300 for minor infractions such as failing to wear shoes at certain occasions and collecting P500 as parking fee.

‘Rape’ Case

Raquipizo, meanwhile, said medico-legal experts found that one of four female wards who were alleged victims of acts of lasciviousness, was allegedly raped.

"The rape case has been filed in court by the Magalang police," he said.

Raquipizo said the relatives who sought Alamares’ help the other night were initially alerted by text messages sent by wards who were beaten up last Jan. 9.

"Apparently, the (wards) learned they would not be allowed to ‘graduate’ from the center on Jan. 16 and Feb. 16 after they were found to have taken liquor and cigarettes to their dormitories last Dec. 24 and Dec. 31. For these infractions, Astrero allegedly flogged them on their buttocks last Jan. 9," he said.

But the relatives claimed that the wards were meted the punishment for not buying liquor and cigarettes from suppliers at the center.

They also claimed that wards who failed to buy fruit juice allegedly supplied by Briton’s relatives were punished.

Briton admitted supplying citrus fruits to the center’s wards for their juices which, he said, were healthier alternatives to softdrinks.

But he said the wards were not forced to buy the fruits. The fruit juices were sold at P20 per glass.

Police Assistance

The worried relatives began arriving five days ago but were not allowed to see their family members at the center.

In their behalf, Alamares sought the help of Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol, Central Luzon police director who, in turn, asked the CIS to proceed immediately to the rehabilitation center and to bring along a doctor.

"Only 23 were found to (have) hematoma and contusions because they were the only ones who were examined at that time," Raquipizo said.

With the CIS’ intervention, the 23 wards were taken by their relatives.

Raquipizo quoted the wards as saying that they were also allegedly made to work in the construction of another dormitory funded from the P1 million turned over by President Arroyo to the SBFI last year.

"We did not know that the (wards) were being used for labor since the foundation was being charged for the labor cost of the construction," Alamares said.

Meanwhile, last Dec. 19, Walfrido Katigbak, SBFI treasurer, tendered a leave of absence.

"During the last several months, I have been confronted with certain management practices and reports of irregularities which are in violation of good corporate governance, if not outright or willful countenances to one’s conscience," he said.

Fund Misuse Claims

In a letter to the SBFI board of trustees dated June 17 last year, Katigbak claimed having discovered "a great extent of unauthorized disbursement of funds through the petty cash system."

He alleged that there were petty cash disbursements amounting to P203,363 in January last year and another P378,478 in March.

Last Nov. 9, Katigbak wrote Briton to ask him to submit balance sheets, a statement of cash flows and summary of bank balances and bank reconciliation statements. But no such documents were given to him.

Briton, however, said he could justify all the expenses of the foundation, explaining that they had the approval of Katigbak and Arayat Mayor Benigno Espino, who chairs the SBFI.

He admitted the purchase for the SBFI of a Toyota Revo van under the name of a private individual who is not part of the foundation.

He said the car dealer refused to allow the foundation to pay in installments so they decided to put the van under the name of the private person who, in turn, have been making the installments through personal checks.

"The foundation is reimbursing him for it. But he has prepared a deed of sale that would put the van under the name of the foundation," he said.

Briton said the foundation owns the Toyota Hi-Lux van which he has been using, although he was named as its custodian.

Conjugal Visits

He said the center built 32 air-conditioned rooms for conjugal visits for married wards as part of its rehabilitation program for "healing relationships in the family."

He admitted that those who use the rooms are charged P600 for 24 hours. Relatives of married wards, however, alleged that they pay as much as P1,000 for such conjugal visits.

"We ask the (wards’) families to ‘donate’ P2,500 monthly, but those who are really indigent are accommodated anyway for a six-month rehabilitation," he said.

"Some of the reports are exaggerated and probably concocted by drug lords who are out to discredit the rehabilitation center which has adversely affected their markets," Briton said.

He said the center has rehabilitated some 4,000 drug dependents since its founding in March 2000.