234 inmates in Rizal saved from drowning

MANILA, Philippines - Officials of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) saved a total of 234 inmates from drowning inside the two-story jail facility in San Mateo, Rizal, where floodwaters reached the rooftop at the height of tropical storm “Ondoy” last Saturday.

Inspector Joey Doguilles, San Mateo deputy jail warden, said reports that the inmates drowned as they were trapped in their flooded cells were mere rumors.

“These rumors are all baseless and not true. We admit that the jail was flooded up to its roof but before the water reached the second level, all the 234 inmates were already transferred and secured in a nearby school, 20 meters away from the jail,” Doguilles said.

Long before Ondoy hit the country, Doguilles said they have prepared plans for calamities like flooding.

At around 9 a.m. last Saturday, Doguilles said the floodwaters started to rise to knee level, prompting them to activate their calamity plan, with the jail warden, Chief Inspector Godfrey Galigo, coordinating with the school authorities for the possible transfer of the inmates.

“Food and other supplies were already prepared in case of immediate transfer and that nearby police and fire stations were already alerted of the situation,” Doguilles said.

At around 2 p.m., he said they started to transfer the inmates to the second floor, hoping that the floodwaters would not rise any further.

“However, when the water started to reach the second level, we opted to transfer the inmates to nearby Roosevelt College, guided by the combined efforts of (the jail, police and fire) personnel,” Doguilles recalled.

“The water ran deep so the inmates had to swim across the fence while holding tightly to a rope,” he said.

He said elderly and sick inmates as well as those who did not know how to swim were provided with lifesavers. At around 3 p.m., all inmates were secured and accounted for, he added.

“Nobody attempted to escape because the inmates knew that they would only drown in the raging floodwaters if they attempted to swim away,” Doguilles said.

The inmates spent the night in the school and were transferred back to the jail the next day.

Jail authorities are monitoring the health of the inmates, as they swam in dirty floodwaters. The inmates need dry clothing because their belongings were soaked in the floodwaters.