Davide: CPDRC conjugal rooms only for married couples

CEBU, Philippines - The conjugal rooms at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City are only to be used by inmates and their spouses.

 This was stressed by Governor Hilario Davide III, although clarifying that inmates with live-in partners can also use the rooms provided that they will present a barangay clearance or certification to prove that they have been living together.

 Married couples are required to present legal documents, like a marriage contract, to show that indeed, they are a couple.

 “Maniguro lang gyud ta kay you know, naa man gud uban sa una, bisan kinsa lang manulod diha, mga prostitute, tabang-tabangan, ipasa-pasa anang mga priso. So we have to be very strict anang conjugal visit kay sa area diha, sa (Barangay) Kalunasan, not only siguro sa Kalunasan, there are so many prostitutes there. Gikan sa province muadto sa city jail or sa city jail muadto dri (CPDRC),” he said.

 Last Tuesday, Virgie Desuyo, 33, who claimed to be the wife of controversial inmate Joavan Fernandez, was arrested inside CPDRC after allegedly presenting a ‘fake’ marriage certificate.

 Desuyo wanted to avail of the conjugal visit, which allows married inmates to stay in conjugal rooms with his wife/husband for only 30 minutes.

 Desuyo said she has been visiting Fernandez for three years since they began a relationship, adding that she just wanted to give food to her loved one.

 According to Senior Inspector Zosimo Jabas, based on Fernandez’s records at the CPDRC, his marital status is ‘single.’

 Joavan, the son of the former Talisay City Councilor Socrates Fernandez, was sentenced to 50 years imprisonment after he was convicted for illegal possession of firearms and violation of the election gun ban during the May 2013 election period.

 In a separate development, Davide has ordered acting Jail Warden Dr. Gil Macato to suspend a jail guard assigned to secure an inmate who escaped during hospital confinement Saturday.

 “I told him (Macato) specifically to suspend the guard who was remiss in his duty,” he said.

 Macato earlier admitted CPDRC’s lapse in security, referring to the failure of assigned jail guard Armando Dinglasa to detect Efren Lariosa’s escape. (FREEMAN)