Coloma: 'Pork' detainees deserve humane treatment

MANILA, Philippines - Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma on Monday said detainees involved in the P10-billion pork barrel scam have a right to humane treatment amid clamor to detain them in ordinary jail cells.

"Ang pinag-uusapan siguro dito ay iyong para sa mga detainees na meron namang constitutional right, katulad nga nung binanggit mo rin na presumption of innocence, eh kailangan din naman iyong makataong pagturing sa kanila," Coloma said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

Coloma's statement came after a viral online post by a certain John Silva, urging President Benigno S. Aquino III to explain why the senators involved in the pork scam have huge, comfortable jail cells. Silva compared the jail cells of the implicated senators to that of former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., the president's father, when he was imprisoned during the martial law period. Silva said the elder Aquino did not have a private bathroom and he only had a bed in his small cell.

Coloma said the government has no policy in giving preferential treatment to anyone accused in a crime.

"...(S)iguro po kailangan talaga tayong kumilos para makapagtatag tayo ng lipunan na pantay-pantay talaga ang trato at hindi magkakaroon ng ganyang sitwasyon," he said.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago earlier said the senators accused should be treated just like any person accused of a crime. She said under the equal protection clause of the Constitution, all persons similarly situated should receive similar treatment. 

"It does not matter whether you’re a Johnny caught picking pockets or a Johnny charged with plunder. All detainees and prisoners, whether common criminals or senators, should have the same accommodations,” she said.