CEBU, Philippines - “Buhat mao’y pasultion, dili sulti mao’y pabuhaton.”
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia uses this slogan to depict her administration’s achievements and motivate provincial officials to work harder for their constituents.
Now, her own brother, former Capitol consultant on security Byron Garcia uses it to challenge her to swiftly act on the reported deaths and mauling of inmates inside the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.
“Now is the time not tomorrow, if she still wants to save Benjie Undit. ‘Buhat mao’y pasultion dili sulti mao’y pabuhaton’ as her slogan would proudly say,” Byron said.
“Let us not skirt around the issue. When will she act on Benjie? When his wounds would heal? When the hot and cold compress would hide the terrifying ordeal he has gone through?” he said in a text message to The FREEMAN.
Byron recently alleged that two inmates of the provincial jail had already died and another one is now in serious condition because of mauling. He added “contacts” inside the jail have relayed to him the information.
However, when sought for comment, Capitol spokesman Rory Jon Sepulveda said he does not see any significance in Byron’s statement since everything is still an allegation until the investigating team comes up with the right information and factual report.
“Unsa’y labot ni Byron? Wala siya’y labot because he is no longer the consultant sa Capitol and tanan are just allegations until the body tasked will comes up with the investigation regarding the incident,” Sepulveda said.
The governor has already assigned the Committee on Discipline and Investigation headed by Atty. Lito Astillero to conduct an investigation into the alleged deaths of inmates inside the CPDRC.
Byron said that for six years, he successfully applied his unique redemptive rehabilitation protocol, known and admired throughout the world and that the governor will be sober enough to act as jailer now and told her not to only claim as the official jailer when the dancing inmates makes it to international news.
The more than 1,000 inmates of CPDRC hugged the limelight at the time when Byron was still Capitol consultant when he uploaded the videos of the inmates’ dances on the popular video-sharing website and made millions of hits.
Sepulveda assured that a lawyer leading the team of investigators and they are given five days to work on the matter.
“They will be starting on Monday but actually they are having their preliminary investigation last Friday like getting the key witnesses, looking for the possible officials to be disciplined and comprising the security for the ongoing operation,” Sepulveda said. (THE FREEMAN)