By Celeste Anna Formoso/PNA
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — Jail authorities here Monday lobbied with the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) to reexamine the ordinance it junked, saying it is needed to punish individuals who will bring contraband items inside the penal facility.
Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) spokesperson, Jail Officer (JO) 2 Marlito Anza, said this is because the Puerto Princesa City Jail (PPCJ) continues to deal with recalcitrant visitors who sneak in illicit items when calling on detainees.
Anza, who appeared before the members of the City Council during their regular session, explained that in 2013, they wrote a letter of request for the purpose.
An ordinance was crafted and filed at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board), which, however, failed to pass it due to legal concerns.
The passing of the ordinance, Anza said, is fundamental to the security and safety of the PPCJ under the BJMP management, as well as other detention facilities located in the city.
“Sa katunayan, may mga nahuhuli tayo na mga visitors na nagdadala ng ilang mga contraband sa BJMP, but wala pong corresponding penalty or fine na ipinapataw po ng BJMP sa ating pong mga nahuhuli (In fact, we have previously arrested some visitors who sneaked in a few contraband items inside the BJMP, but we cannot give them any corresponding penalty or fine),” he said.
He said all they could do is to prohibit them from visiting their detained relatives for a certain period.
Anza said the BJMP does not have any penalty for family members and friends of detainees who bring them cigarettes and cellular phones, which are banned inside the PPCJ.
He said contraband items include illegal drugs and paraphernalia, sharp objects or knives, and other articles that can affect the safety and security measures they impose on persons deprived of liberty (PDL).
Anza told members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod that the ordinance could help the BJMP make the PPCJ a drug-free detention facility.
“This is not for us. This is for the PDL and their guests, and at the same time for the maintenance of the PPCJ as a detention facility that is drug-free for a long time,” he said.
Last October, the PPCJ, out of 474 penal facilities, was recognized as the first jail in the country to be drug-free. The award was given by the Oversight Committee on Jail Drug Clearing Operation.
Responding to this, Councilor Rolando Amurao said he supports the approval of the ordinance for the BJMP to be able to do its job well in handling the security of the PPCJ against any untoward incident.
“I really support this ordinance because I know their predicament when there are stubborn relatives or family members who insist on violating their policies, who bring in contraband items,” he added.
