Political detainees' wives sue Gwen, Byron, warden

Wives of two political detainees in the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center yesterday filed administrative and criminal cases against Governor Gwen Garcia, Byron Garcia, and warden Alfredo Abella for allegedly violating a provision of Republic Act 7438. RA 7438 provides certain rights of person arrested, detained or under custodial investigation as well as duties of the arresting, detaining and investigating officers and providing penalties for violations thereof.

Lawyer Rex Fernandez lodged the joint complaint of Elisa Badayos-Geverola and Angelina Sacamay before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

Elisa, wife of detainee Jigger Geverola, claimed she was banned from visiting her husband on August 28 allegedly upon orders of the governor and Capitol security consultant Byron. She said Abella told her that the governor "was irritated over media interviews" of political detainee Ronald Sendrijas who assailed the "discriminatory policies of jail authorities against political detainees."

Abella told her the prohibition of visits was "indefinite" but the order was "purely verbal," claimed Elisa as well as Angelina, wife of detainee Edgardo Sacamay, in their affidavits. Angelina said Abella told her that "the governor and her brother Byron were also angry with us, relatives, over our statements in local media regarding maltreatment of political detainees inside the jail," prompting the detainees to stage a hunger strike as a form of protest.

The two detainees themselves meanwhile filed at the city prosecutor a separate criminal complaint against Byron for the same violation plus maltreatment of prisoners.

"My husband protested the abuse of these soldiers during media interviews, which earned him the ire of Byron," said Angelina, adding that they were themselves deprived of visiting rights allegedly due to their speaking out against "maltreatment" of inmates. - Liv G. Campo