EDITORIAL - ‘No VIP treatment’

There will be no VIP treatment for the high-profile detainees now being held at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center at Camp Crame, government officials have assured the public. Among the detainees at the PNP headquarters are Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy and his four co-accused KOJC members as well as dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo.

Authorities may have to properly define what might constitute VIP treatment, based on the state of Philippine detention facilities. Quiboloy reportedly prefers to be held at Camp Aguinaldo, headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, at whatever serves as a detention facility of the Intelligence Service of the AFP. The ISAFP’s “Agila” or 10th Infantry Division based in Davao de Oro reportedly played a key role in persuading Quiboloy to come out of hiding in Davao City.

Meanwhile, various regional trial courts have issued conflicting orders on where Quiboloy and Guo should be detained. Ordinary folks who are not allowed to post bail are held in local police, provincial, city or municipal jails. The typical jail cell for non-VIPs is designed to accommodate several inmates. It’s rare for a cell to have its own toilet. Ventilation is usually inadequate, especially when the facilities are overcrowded, which is often the case in much of the country. Inmates have complained of cockroaches, mosquitoes and vermin in their cells. Food is limited.

This year the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology opened its newest facility, the Quezon City Jail. BJMP officials said the design of the facility adheres to international guidelines for the humane treatment of detainees. Each cell is designed to hold up to 10 inmates. There are five double-deck bunk beds in a typical cell. A BJMP official said each cell gets adequate natural ventilation enhanced by an electric fan. Inmates are not allowed to use cell phones and must wear jail uniforms. They may accept food given by visitors.

High-profile inmates at Camp Crame, on the other hand, can be detained all by themselves, possibly in a cell or room with its own toilet. With the privacy goes several other privileges that are not enjoyed by those in regular BJMP facilities.

Alice Guo’s supposed half-sister Shiela is in the custody of the House of Representatives for contempt. The dismissed mayor’s business partner Cassandra Li Ong is in Senate custody for the same offense. The rooms where they are held are far better than ordinary jails.

So what constitutes VIP treatment? Alice Guo claims there are threats to her life. But PNP and BJMP officials have given assurance that they can be trusted to keep inmates safe in regular jails. There are court orders to turn over the high-profile inmates to city jails. The government must set a clear policy on this issue.