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[av_heading heading=’‘Inmates have right to love and be loved’’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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Monday, February 20, 2017
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ILOILO City – Seventeen male inmates of the Iloilo District Jail (IDJ) in Barangay Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo exchanged “I dos” with their sweethearts in the prison facility.
Pototan’s Mayor Tomas Peñaflorida presided the mass wedding around 9 a.m. on Feb. 17.
“We respect the inmates’ right to love and be loved. Also, the mass wedding would legitimize their children,” said Senior Inspector Abner Zamora, jail warden.
This was the third mass wedding at the IDJ in three years.
“We allow inmates to be with their loved ones on Valentine’s Day,” said Zamora.
Most of the grooms were charged with violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
They wore Barong Tagalog for their wedding, said Zamora. Their brides donned white dresses.
After the mass wedding, the couples had lunch with their families at the IDJ. The jail management and local government of Pototan contributed for a simple banquet.
“We organized this as our way of celebrating Valentine’s Day,” said Zamora.
The IDJ has eight dormitories and four of these are for inmates with drug-related cases.
The jail’s current population is around 1,500.
According to Zamora, none of the inmates enjoy special treatment such as being allowed to possess cell phones.
“Regardless kun high-profile or ordinary inmate ka, pare-pareho ang pagtrato namon,” said Zamora.
His men conduct unannounced inspections of cells to catch inmates who may be harboring prohibited items such as phones, illegal drugs, liquor, etc./PN
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