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[av_heading heading=’PROV’L JAIL TO LOSE SUBSIDY | Drug trafficking at IDJ possible, says capitol’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Friday, May 12, 2017
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ILOILO City – The beleaguered Iloilo District Jail (IDJ) in Barangay Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo is losing subsidy it has been receiving from the provincial government of Iloilo since 2011.
Lately, arrested drug pushing suspects claimed they got their shabu supplies from IDJ inmates.
The provincial government used to manage the IDJ, formerly known as the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center. It is distancing itself from the drug-related controversy at the provincial jail now under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Beginning next year, the provincial government will no longer shoulder the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) of the IDJ which include the P10 subsidy for the inmates’ meals.
“Waay na ko labot. Responsibilidad na sang BJMP,” said Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.
Four IDJ guards were relieved from their posts by the BJMP regional office early this week following a woman drug suspect’s claim that her shabu supply came from inmates there.
Such scenario is not impossible, according to Defensor.
In a bid to professionalize jail services and management, the provincial government turned over the operational control and supervision of the IDJ to the BJMP in 2011.
“Wala na ko supervisory prerogative or power (over the IDJ). Bisan oversight wala na,” said Defensor.
Senior Inspector Abner Zamora, the IDJ warden, had been on the defensive since last week following the arrest of three women drug pushing suspects one of whom claimed their supplier was an IDJ inmate. He denied reports that detainee Ken Mark Pineda was giving instructions to the women.
The provincial government would have wanted to stop subsidizing the jail’s MOOE in 2014 yet but reconsidered the plan after BJMP made an appeal.
“This time there will be no more extension,” said Defensor, “and we are prepared to turnover pati ang duta sa ila.”
The lot where the IDJ stands is a property of the provincial government.
The just this Saturday, another arrested drug suspect, the 42-year-old Josefina Doctora of Barangay Poblacion Ilaya, Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, claimed her shabu supply came from IDJ, too.
“I don’t believe Doctora got her shabu from inside the jail. We’re very thorough in frisking visitors,” said Zamora./PN
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