CHR: No maltreatment on political detainees

The Commission on Human Rights found no traces of maltreatment on political prisoners at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center contrary to the claims by militant groups.

In his letter to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, CHR regional director Alejandro Alonzo made no mention of any sign of maltreatment on Edgardo Sacamay and other political detainees at the provincial jail during a CHR team visit on Wednesday.

Capitol consultant Pablo John Garcia said the CHR report belied the claims of maltreatment by the political detainees, adding that had there been signs of maltreatment, the CHR would have called the governor's attention.

Instead, Alonzo lauded CPDRC acting jail warden Alfredo Abella for his "good administrative skills."

Among the issues raised during the visit of the CHR team were those relating to sunning and visitation privileges. But the jail management assured the team to reschedule the sunning of the political detainees to 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Alonzo appealed to the governor to restore the visitation privileges of the political detainees.

Pablo John said the CHR has acknowledged the jail management's authority to deny the political detainees of their visitation privilege as punishment for their unruly behavior.

The CHR also reported that the political detainees promised to end their protest as soon as their visitation privilege is restored.

Nevertheless, Pablo John said that they are already considering restoring the visitation privilege of the political detainees. - Fred P. Languido