NBP chief admits signing ‘photocopied’ Jalosjos release

Former Zamboanga del Norte congressman Romeo Jalosjos was released from prison based on documents signed by New Bilibid Prisons Superintendent Juanito Leopando, it was disclosed yesterday.

Leopando told an investigating panel of the Department of Justice that he had signed the release papers of Jalosjos based on photocopies of his disposition form and a memorandum on his prison record jacket.

The certificate of discharge of Jalosjos was already processed by the NBP’s separation center, an office directly under his supervision, and merely needed his signature, Leopando said in reply to questioning by Justice Undersecretary Fidel Exconde, the panel head.

Teodora Diaz, NBP administration division head, told Exconde the disposition form and memorandum attached to Jalosjos’ carpeta or prisons record were photocopies because there were no originals.

It was only Jalosjos who does not have an original disposition form and memorandum among the 20 inmates who were scheduled for release last December, she added.

The disposition form and memorandum are documents processed and signed at the NBP’s documents, records and administration sections. After these documents are signed, they are sent to the NBP’s separation center for preparation of the release papers, which will be signed by the NBP superintendent.

Diaz told the panel when the DOJ ordered that the release of Jalosjos be put on hold last Dec. 16, she ordered the disposition form and memorandum secured.

“We did not have malice in preparing the (disposition form),” she said. “We were just anticipating.”

Diaz said the disposition form and memorandum of an inmate are usually prepared a month ahead of the scheduled release.

The Jalosjos case was special as it was the subject of a review by the DOJ, she added.

The disposition form of Jalosjos was evaluated by the NBP’s administrative section last Dec. 13. On the same date, it was processed and signed at the NBP documents section, then returned to the office of Joselito Fajardo, NBP administration section assistant director, for his signature.

On the same day, it was signed by relieved Bureau of Corrections director Ricardo Dapat.

After completion, the disposition form was sent to the NBP documents section chief for the preparation of a memorandum.

The memorandum informs the NBP superintendent that an inmate is being released.

When asked by the DOJ panel, Zenaida Hierco, NBP documents section acting chief, said she was verbally ordered by Diaz to prepare the disposition form of Jalosjos last Dec. 13.

Diaz told the panel she instructed the documents section to prepare the disposition form of Jalosjos because he was supposed to be released on Dec. 16, a Sunday, when NBP offices are closed.

On the other hand, Jose Padua, NBP records section chief, said the memorandum of Jalosjos did not pass through his office as required by regulations.

Manolo Belen, NBP separation section chief, said he was the one who prepared the certificate of discharge of Jalosjos.

Last Dec. 14, he went to the NBP records section and got the memorandum of Jalosjos as part of the preparation of his release papers, he added. Belen said the memorandum did not bear the signature of Diaz as required.

It had been a practice at the NBP for him to get the memorandums of inmates who are scheduled for release over the weekend, even if they do not bear the signature of Diaz, he added.

However, Diaz denied this.

Belen told the panel he prepared the release order of Jalosjos on Dec. 14.

After Leopando signed the order, he made four photocopies and kept the original after giving Leopando a copy, he added.

Belen said he gave three other copies to a member of his staff on Dec. 16 with orders that these be secured until it becomes clear that Jalosjos would be released.

When Jalosjos was not released his staff member brought the three copies to Dapat’s quarters, he added.

The panel noted discrepancies in the memorandum secured by Belen and the one kept by Diaz.

The memorandum attached to the release order signed by Leopando bore the serial number 11429, while the one kept by Diaz carried serial number 115299, Exconde said.