ON CITY DRAINAGE
Herrera hits DPWH
By KIT BAGAIPO

1 killed in jail recoup

By KIT BAGAIPO

One person was killed as absolute control and management of the Bohol Detention and Rehabilitation Center (BDRC) was regained by provincial jail authorities yesterday following a swift pre-emptive strike by a composite team of the Bohol Provincial Police Office, the PNP Regional Special Reaction Unit and the Philippine Army.
The composite team struck at the break of dawn yesterday while most of the 315 BDRC inmates still sleeping at their detention cells.
An inmate, identified as Nilo Corbita of barangay Bantolinao, Antequera was shot twice at close range to the head after an alleged attempt to resist the operatives by drawing a .38 caliber pistol.
The two gunshots, one to the left eyebrow and another to the chin, instantly killed Corbito who was using the BDRC kitchen as his quarters. Police investigators said there was no evidence that the victim was able to return fire.
Since the BDRC inmates held a riot last April 13, the detention facility had been run by the prisons' council of elders who, most of the time, prevailed over the jailguards.
Even after iron bars of the 25 detention cells were repaired, the inmates were still free to roam around the jail's premises as their cells do not have padlocks.
Last week, reports already reached the Chronicle of threats of a mass jailbreak which prompted Jail Warden Raul Mendez to place the facility on "double red alert status".
Before yesterday's operation, which was led by Provincial Police Director SSupt. Edgardo Ingking, the composite team was already briefed on intelligence information that some of the prisoners were armed of handguns, bladed weapons and improvised sling shot and arrows (commonly known as Indian pana).
These were later recovered by the operatives including prohibited drugs.
The operation had to be executed early yesterday when the civilian visitors went home, according to Pernia.
LAW AND ORDER RESTORED
The operation to neutralize the inmates, which started around 4:-- a.m., lasted less than 10 minutes, Provincial Government Media Affairs head Antonietto Pernia told the Chronicle.
"The marching order of Gov. Erico Aumentado was to restore discipline at the BDRC, institute reforms and implement jail rules," Pernia said.
Yesterday's operation was necessary in order to carry out the governor's orders, Pernia said.
According to Pernia, while the governor expressed relief for the successful operation, he "felt sad that it had taken the life of an inmate "and also asked for "a complete report" on the cause of death and the use of force against the slain inmate.
Aumentado had vowed to confront the problem at BDRC after he was informed last Friday over dyRD's top-rated Tagbilaran-By-Nite (TBN) regarding demands of prisoners and their threats of "a bloodbath" if BDRC authorities insist to send two of their fellow inmates to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.
For the first time since April 13, the 25 detention cells were already padlocked, according to Ingking, after the joint operatives swept and searched through the prison facility to recover weapons.
For over six hours, the 300 male inmates were also lined-up with hands tied behind their back and individually frisked at the BDRC quadrangle.
It was only about noontime yesterday that all prisoners were sent back inside their cells. The 25 cells had 12 inmates each, according to Ingking.
"Everyone is accounted for and their cells have been thoroughly searched," he said.
The provincial police chief assured that there will be "no more riots" as "universally accepted jail rules will be enforced."
CHANGING OF THE GUARDS
Pernia hinted that several jailguards will be replaced due to their "familiarity" with inmates.
The laxity on prisoners and the entry of weapons and even illegal drugs were likewise cited by Pernia among the reasons for replacements.
In fact, two detention cells were furnished with television sets, video players and personal refrigerators.
In the next two days, Pernia said, the PNP will be manning the jail's security.
According to Pernia, all privileges will be cancelled while political detainees will be separated from the common criminals.
SHORT RANGE HITS
Corbito, who was killed during the operation, was allegedly one of the detention cell leaders who had the privilege of using the kitchen as their meeting place.
An initial report of the medical examiner bared that the two bullets that killed Corbito remained lodged on his head. This indicated that the gunshots were fired at close range.
The victim, on his mid-thirties, was convicted of rape, BDRC records showed.

Missing seaman's wife to go
to court to find her husband

The wife of a missing Boholano seaman whose cargo ship sank off Antique in mid-May while typhoons Bochoy and Cosme took turns of wrecking havocs will go to court to find her husband.
Lani suspected that the owner of ill-fated MV Edago Expedition had not exerted all efforts to search and rescue her husband Errol Israel and 10 other crewmen who have been gone since the May 15 sea tragedy.
Today is the 21st day since the sinking and search operation has been stopped, but Lani "feels" her husband, 35, is alive.
Lani said in an exclusive Chronicle interview that the families of other missing mariners, who are not Bohol residents, are also firm to raise to the court their grievances.
They are set to meet in Cebu City this Sunday, June 7, during which they will seek a confrontation with the shipping management after unsuccessful attempts.
Cebu-based shipping owner Eduardo Ang Bogonsing said when contacted by the Chronicle that choppers from both the Department of National Defense (DND) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had then been used in search operations but failed.
But like the families of her husband's fellow missing seamen, Lani suspected there had been no sincere effort to trace the crewmen on the seas surrounding Antique, Aklan Iloilo and Mindoro.
The cargo ship was bound for Zamboanga from Mindoro loaded with 50,000 bags of iodized salt and 24,000 bags of ordinary salt when it drowned off Antique.
The ship had actually 13 crewmen and two of them were luckily spotted midsea off Boracay island and rescued by the passing Indonesian vessel MV Salindo Perdana 1 the following day, May 16.
The two survivors were dropped at the port of Tabaco in Albay on the third day, May 17.
Lani lamented that instead of comforting them even just thru regular updates of the search-rescue operation, the shipping management seemed so hesitant to communicate to them.
She admitted to the Chronicle, however, that she had received text messages from the shipping management telling her of negative result whenever she would inquired of any latest development.
Lani, who hails from Corella, now resides with their three-year-old son at the house of her in-laws in Poblacion, Baclayon.
She alleged that the families of some of the missing seamen checked if there were indeed choppers seen conducting search operation over Aklan-Antique area but coastal residents told them they had noticed none.
Lani said they are further bothered in learning of a past ship sinking which some survivors were declared to be no longer found.
The survivors were later known to be alive but their insurance claims had allegedly already been claimed by the shipping owner.
It was learned that the contract of Lani's husband had expired so that he would have disembarked as early as last January.
However, the management, which allegedly refused to return his original papers, instead told him to stay aboard for few more months.
Lani sought government assistance but the shipping owner could no longer be contacted because he is "sick and indisposed." (Ven rebo Arigo)

Curtailed civil rights

By KIT BAGAIPO

Who says one cannot enjoy his civil liberties once incarcerated?
Before inmates at the Bohol Detention and Rehabilitation Center (BDRC) were locked up inside their cells starting yesterday for a period of one month as disciplinary measure, many of us would not have an idea of their activities while in detention.
While police teams rummaged through the different cells at BDRC yesterday, an outsider could only wonder how two inmates managed to put up private rooms for themselves carved out of the 5 sq.m. by 3 sq.m. detention cell, leaving only a small space for 11 other inmates whom he shares the prison cell.
Checking the private room, one would see that it was almost completely furnished as a hotel suite with a personal refrigerator, television, video player, stereo component and an assortment of movie and music CDs.
The two well-off prisoners settled for the temporary relief of electric fans. Nobody would have stopped them from putting up airconditioning units as the prison's council of elders negotiated for more liberties.
One of the two had one more refrigerator outside his private room. This is where he stores softdrinks and iced water sold to other inmates.
Being in jail did not stop several other enterprising convicts to take advantage of a captive market.
Several sari-sari stores line-up BDRC's detention area, selling a variety of goods - from table salt to cigarettes - that are considered important commodities in the prison facility.
Police operatives were likewise surprised to find out that one detention cell was turned into a bakery - complete with an improvised oven with trays of freshly baked bread.
Even the jailguards are allowed credit in the stores, according to an inmate interviewed by the Chronicle.
According to Provincial Government Media Affairs head Antonietto Pernia, visitation rights were abused. Wives of prisoners can stay beyond the allowed 24-hour visit at the conjugal room. Most wives stay for at least three days and complain being frisked by jail guards upon entry.
Aside from this, the prisoners have discretion on the use of BDRC's budget for food and one inmate is tasked to go to the market and buy what is for the day's menu.
Pernia said that just recently, the prisoners held their own tennis tournament even inviting non-inmates.
The council of elders (leaders of detention cells), are practically running the activities of the other inmates. They impose their own code of conduct and discipline.
The elders changed rules on visitation hours while insisting that they be allowed to cook the food themselves, thus, giving them access to knives and kitchen utensils that can be improvised into deadly weapons.
Since the 25 cells do not have padlocks after the April 13 riot, the prisoners are free to wander to other cells.
It was not until Friday last week when the elders wrote an open letter for Gov. Erico Aumentado that matters had taken a crucial turn.
The inmates threatened bloodbath and to hold barricades if two of their fellow prisoners are taken to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa. The two have long been due for shipment to the national penitentiary but are still held at the BDRC due to the threats of the prisoners.
Interviewed over dyRD's top-rated Tagbilaran-By-Nite, Aumentado vowed to institute reforms and restore law and order at the provincial jail.
It didn't take that long as police operatives, led by Bohol PNP Director SSupt. Edgardo Ingking mapped out its operation, carried out early morning yesterday.