Vizcaya jail warden suspended

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – The warden of the local government-run provincial jail, which itself has been hounded by reports of illegal drug trade inside its premises, was suspended over the weekend for the alleged questionable release of a drug suspect.

Gov. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma slapped a 30-day preventive suspension against provincial jail warden Benzon Cadiente, who, besides the unauthorized release of an inmate facing illegal drug-related cases, is also now being investigated for other alleged accumulated administrative malpractices since assuming the post in 2004.

The suspension of Cadiente, scion of a prominent political family here, took effect Sept. 8 under Administrative Case No. 58 and 59, pending the investigation over the accusations against him, which also include alleged mishandling of jail funds.

Further, sources close to the embattled Cadiente, known for his being soft-spoken, opined that politics could be behind his premature suspension as some influential personalities are eyeing another individual to take over the post.

A source close to Cadiente, whom he described as a victim of “power play” inside the jail, also claimed that the warden had already cleared himself of the so-called accumulated violations hurled against him.

According to Manuel Tabora, provincial administrator, Cadiente happened to be on leave due to the death of his mother when the provincial government’s committee on investigation recommended to the governor his suspension.

“What we want to stress is that Cadiente had merely been preventively suspended (due to administrative violations), which still have to be proven,” said Tabora, who took over the management of the provincial jail in an acting capacity.

Sources here cited as one reason for Cadiente’s suspension the case of one Garcia who had first been committed for possession of illegal firearms but later allegedly became involved in the peddling and use of illegal drugs inside the jail.

“When the Bayombong municipal trial court requested for the appearance of the detainee, he could not be presented because he had been prematurely released after the dismissal of his illegal firearms case,” the source said.

Ma. Carla Lucia Torralba, provincial human resource management officer, said Cadiente could be reinstated if he would be able to disprove the allegation hurled against him.

The provincial jail, once one of the best managed provincial jails in the country, had been hounded in recent years by allegations of drug dealing inside its premises, laxity of security and unauthorized as well as premature release of inmates.