Rama rejects 'one-strike' policy against jail wardens

CEBU, Philippines - Acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is strongly against the policy that jail wardens will be relieved from their posts once the special teams from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology can confiscate dangerous drugs from any inmate under their custody.

“Mahurot ang atong mga warden,” Rama said when he was asked if he will support to the policy of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno.

Rama said he will only back such policy of Puno provided that the DILG will give full support to the BJMP in terms of salary, construction of jails, intensifying the hiring of jail personnel and to localizing the hiring of jail guards.

The acting mayor explained that if the jail personnel will be hired from the place where they are to be assigned there is great possibility that they will not get involved in illegal activities.

“Labing siguro dili sila maghimo og binuang kay daghan man sila og mga paryente nga apil sa mauwawan,” Rama said.

For his part, Cebu City jail warden Efren Nemeno said it would be unfair for the wardens if they will be relieved without giving them a chance to explain just because the BJMP team seized illegal drugs from the inmates.

Nemeno said that jail wardens should be relieved only after the jail authorities will find out that they have not done anything to curb the trafficking of illegal drugs in jail.

“Dinhi kaduha sa usa ka semana g’yod mi nga maghimo og Operation Greyhound aron masakpan ang mga illegal drugs nga gitagoan sa mga priso, walay labot sa mga special operation kun makadawat mi og report,” the warden said.

Greyhound operations pertain to surprise inspections and searches conducted inside BJMP-supervised jails to flush out all kinds of unauthorized objects and substances in the possession of inmates.

A few days ago the city jail guards arrested a man who was about to smuggle into the jail about half gram of shabu that he placed inside the front portion of his brief.

Puno said any inmate found in possession of narcotics and other illegal substances and caught keeping shabu and other kinds of drugs will be criminally charged and made to undergo a mandatory drug test.

He added that the one-strike policy for jail wardens is in line with President Arroyo’s directive to intensify its anti-illegal drugs campaign, and in order to eradicate illegal drug activities in district, city, and municipal jails. – Rene U. Borromeo/NLQ   (THE FREEMAN)