The Bureau of Jail Management & Penology has moved 12 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from the Dumaguete City Detention & Rehabilitation Center in barangay Bajumpandan here following a foiled “crisis” at the facility over the weekend.
Maj. Jonairy Sitchon, jail warden, ordered the transfer of the 12 PDLs on Sunday to prevent an escalation of the tension, which started with the conduct of Operation Greyhound on Saturday.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Negros Oriental conducted the operation to inspect the facility of illegal drugs and other contraband items.
On Sunday, the jail warden also called in the police, the Special Weapons and Tactics team, and the Bureau of Fire Protection to avert further possible unrest inside the facility.
The tension started when Romel Domen, leader of the group Batang Cebu inside the district jail, accused the jail warden of having a hand in the arrest of his live-in partner Rica Dongcoy, during a buy-bust operation in barangay Bajumpandan last Friday.
The woman was divested of alleged shabu during the buy-bust operation by the PDEA, shortly after she visited Domen at the City Jail. She was “clean” during her visit to the City Jail.
In an interview, Sitchon said he received information that Domen blamed him for the arrest of Dongcoy, so he called the PDL to clarify matters.
Domen, however, refused to talk with the warden on what happened. Instead, he allegedly told the rest of the PDLs not to return to their cells and to refuse a headcount.
Some of the PDLs also allegedly stoned the BJMP office and became “restless” and “uncontrollable”, the warden said.
Domen allegedly hurled provoking statements at the warden, humiliated, and threatened him, but the jail officer said he exercised maximum tolerance.
Sitchon said he called the regional BJMP for guidance.
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The PDEA-Negros Oriental, whose Operation Greyhound was scheduled Monday, moved it a day ahead instead because of the brewing tension inside the jail.
The surprise inspection yielded 86 empty plastic sachets with suspected shabu residue found inside plastic bins, tin foils, and other “drug paraphernalia”.
It took several hours until nightfall for the law enforcers to finish the inspection, with the aid of a trained drug-sniffing K-9 dog.
After the inspection, Domen acceded and talked to the warden and PDEA-Negros Oriental head Agent Grace Cruz inside the office.
Domen was accompanied by some of his “assistants” and cell-leaders.
The unrest simmered down after a fire truck was positioned at the gate, ready for a “water cannon” in case a violent confrontation erupted.
After the meeting, Sitchon surprised the 12 PDLs when they were loaded on two jail vehicles and transported to the jail facility in Bais City, about an hour’s drive from here.
Sitchon said he suspected the group will make good its earlier threat to destabilize the city jail operation, so the preemptive action was undertaken with the approval of higher officers of BJMP.
In an interview, PDEA provincial agent Cruz disclosed Dongcoy is considered a high-value target, and allegedly a part of the drug group headed by Domen.
Cruz denied allegations the evidence confiscated from Dongcoy were planted. (Juancho Gallarde)
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