Tacloban City jail wardress relieved from her post

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – Inspector Leizel Rosales, the wardress of the City Jail Female Dormitory, was relieved from her post effective last January 4 after two investigations conducted by the Department of Interior and Local Government central office and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

The investigations was done into the complaints, filed against her, on poor daily food served to the female inmates, mental torture and human rights abuses.

Rosales, a graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy Class 2011, assumed office at the CJFD replacing then wardress, Chief Inspector Loreta Palada, who was also sacked for abandoning her post when super typhoon Yolanda devastated Leyte in 2013.

The complaints of the 30 female inmates however came under the term of Rosales. A concerned human rights advocate formally filed the complaint to DILG Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento and the BJMP national office, resulting in the conduct of the investigation and the eventual relief of Rosales.

Some inmates, in a talk with The Freeman, said they were often served daily with three pieces of small fish or egg, and that food brought by their relatives of friends from outside was not allowed.

“We had also no freedom to complain about the limited food we eat, or we will be placed at the isolation ward and be transferred to other jail facility,” an inmate said.

In a brief talk with Rosales, shortly after she got the relief order, she asked for forgiveness in front of the inmates saying, “sorry kung nasaktan ko kayo.”

BJMP-8 regional director, Senior Superintendent Wenefredo Abordo, failed to relieve Rosales last year despite the inmates’ request because there was no available replacement at the time.

Last Tuesday morning, Inspector Nemia Lopez officially replaced Rosales. She told The Freeman she accepted the challenge to serve the CJFD inmates who need understanding and compassion.

She also hoped to improve the implementation of inmates’ development and rehabilitation program. “This is a great challenge in my career, I promise to give the inmates what is due to them, such as their daily subsistence allowance. Nasa pagma-manage lang yon,” Lopez added. (FREEMAN)