Tom, Margot: Second Chance  warden relief not enough

Mayor Tomas Osmeña is not satisfied with the relief and transfer of Operation Second Chance warden Sr. Insp. Jennifer Joyce Abar after the escape of seven minor offenders from the facility last Monday.

This as the recovery team of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology recaptured two of the remaining four minors in Carcar City last Wednesday night.

The mayor said even if the jail warden will be changed many times, it will not make a difference because BJMP officials are corrupt.

His wife, Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, co-chairwoman of the Cebu City Task Force on Street Children just shrugged when asked if she was satisfied with the recommendation of the BJMP.

Margot earlier said she was very upset with the jail personnel assigned at the Operation Second Chance because of their failure to report the incident to her or to the officials of City Hall.

Abar was relieved from her post as warden of the facility effective last Wednesday and was replaced by Insp. Merlina Metante who is from the Mandaue City Jail.  Aside from Abar, 11 other jail guards assigned at the Operation Second Chance are also under investigation because of the escape and the alleged maltreatment of the minor offenders which was believed to the reason why they bolted the facility.

“Yeah, then they put another bad warden there.  What’s the difference?” the mayor asked.

“They are under the illusion that getting somebody new will change everything.  It’s like a musical chair, nagtuyok-tuyok lang sila.  They’re getting another recycled warden.  That’s why I have no confidence in BJMP,” he said

The mayor said he does not have any specific instruction to the new warden of Operation Second Chance nor will he reinstate the incentive allowance of the BJMP personnel assigned to the facility until they prove that they deserve it.

After the incident Mayor Osmeña immediately ordered for the suspension of the P1,000 monthly incentive allowance of the BJMP personnel assigned to Operation Second Chance.

Meanwhile, Insp. Julieto Varona Jr., chief of BJMP-7 community relations, said that two of the escapees were recaptured in barangay Awayan, Carcar City, last Wednesday night.

A team led by SJO1 Neselito Mabalod, assistant jail warden of Operation Second Chance, assisted by guards of the city jail led by JO1 Neil Rosaroso arrested the two boys inside the house of one of their aunts after a concerned citizen reported their presence to the police.

JO1 Filberto Antiquiña, who was one of the on duty officers when the escape happened, was also part of the recovery team.

The two escapees, both 17, are facing charges for theft and were confined at the Operation Second Chance only last October 23 and November 14.

Varona said that they will ask for a report on the alleged maltreatment of minor offenders inside the facility.

Two of the seven escapees were recaptured last Tuesday afternoon while the other one surrendered to a councilman in barangay Calamba last Wednesday.  Two of the escapees are still at large . -Wenna A. Berondo and Edwin Ian Melecio