Caloocan jail warden questions transfer

MANILA, Philippines - Caloocan City Jail warden Superintendent Lyndon Torres is questioning a directive of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) chief transferring him to Region 4-A, claiming it was done without the approval of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

BJMP chief Director Rosendo Dial ordered Friday the relief of Torres – the BJMP-National Capital Region best warden for 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 – and 11 others, including Quezon City Jail female warden Superintendent Amelia Rayandayan, the 2010 Civil Service Commission Dangal ng Bayan awardee; and Mandaluyong City Jail warden Superintendent Joseph Vela, 2010 BJMP-NCR’s best senior officer of the year.

The transfer of the 12 jail officers was not cleared with DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo, Torres said. The order takes effect today.

Robredo issued last Friday Department Order 2011-33 reshuffling at least 34 BJMP officials. Torres’s name was not included in Robredo’s order, which would also take effect today.

Dial’s order has the same date as Robredo’s memorandum but only two of the 12 ordered relieved by the BJMP chief were in the DILG secretary’s list.

“Definitely, we would seek a legal opinion on this matter,” Torres told The STAR.

He said Dial’s order was in defiance of Robredo’s Dec. 14, 2010 memorandum directing the BJMP chief to clear with the DILG any movement of “key personnel” under his jurisdiction.

Torres said his transfer to Region 4-A would put him on “floating status” with no specific assignment. “Is this the price the BJMP would give us for doing our job well?” he said.

Torres said he was also the BJMP-NCR best warden for 2006-2007 while he was the Las Pinas City Jail warden.