Prison authorities at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City are making it difficult for Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) professors, employees and students to hold traditional Christmas visits to persons deprived of liberty (PDL), a rights group complained.
Political prisoner support group Kapatid revealed Metro Manila District Jail-4 authorities are demanding way too many requirements from ordinary visitors, even asking for postponements one day before the annual Christmas visit.
In a letter to MMDJ-4 warden Jail Inspector Prince DJ Orbase last Friday, Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim said the warden’s latest requirement were “very confusing and disheartening.”
Orbase on Friday requested a rescheduling of the annual activity scheduled for today to “update” the said list from PUP.
“[W]e were led to believe that submission of NBP (National Bilibid Prisons) clearances by key coordinators would suffice. Now you suddenly invoke more issues when the PUP faculty are already cooking food for tomorrow’s visit?” Lim asked in a reply to Orbase.
Yesterday, Orbase asked for a postponement as the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-National Capital Region flagged some “discrepancies.”
Orbase claimed there were “incorrect entries to remove and additional personnel to add” in the list that will take time to verify.
Earlier, the jail facility also requested in separate emails National Bureau of Investigation clearances and copies of PUP identification cards of the attendees.
Lim however pointed out that Orbase’s additional issues are unjust as the PUP faculty are already cooking food for today’s visit.
“Please define what issues you are now raising as this would be a never-ending problem on your part when this is just a simple and traditional visitation done every Christmas by PUP faculty and students,” Lim wrote.
She also said Orbase’s additional demands are “most disturbing” as special treatment of VIP (very important) visitors is now front page news, which obviously the PUP visitors are not.”
Lim is referring to reports that Sara Duterte is visiting PDL and the vice president’s alleged bagman Ramil Madriaga in the said facility. # (Raymund B.Villanueva)
