Fiscals ask: Why bend rules again for inmate?

Strike two for the Cebu provincial jail’s special treatment of an inmate accused of murder in Aklan province, where he used to be a town mayor.

A day after videotaped scenes emerged of a birthday party held for detained ex-mayor Alfredo Arsenio inside the office of the warden, the Regional State Prosecutor’s Office called for action on the recurring problem.

An angry Asst. State Prosecutor Llena Ipong-Avila said the latest infraction  smacked of “stupidity” and said  the jail should clamp down on Arsenio.

She said she never expected this to happen again.

“We should learn from a past mistake. Stupidity na ang pabalik-balik (If it’s recurring, it smacks of stupidity),” said Avila, who heads the local witness protection program of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Avila said the warden  and  jail personnel should be penalized.

Last Feb. 8, Arsenio was caught on TV cameras having lunch with his jail guard and lawyer in an airconditioned restaurant,  an unauthorized detour from his court hearing in Cebu City.

The jail warden and guard escort were quickly replaced by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who is in charge of the Cebu provincial jail.

Last Saturday, Arsenio was the subject of another controversial videotape, this time a party in his honor.

Four days after the incident, the Capitol remained tight-lipped about  images of  the party in the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC).
In an interview, Capitol consultant Jose Maria Gastardo said the video, scenes of which appeared in Cebu Daily News issue yesterday, was  reported by Carl dela Cruz, officer in charge of the closed-circuit camera TV center in the jail.

Governor Garcia  was not available for comment.

In her absence, Gastardo would not confirm or deny that a  birthday party was held for the detainee.

Arsenio is facing trial for the murder of Bombo Radyo station manager Gerson Hinoloan of Kalibo, Aklan province, eight years ago.

Arsenio was  mayor of  of Lezon town, Aklan province, when the killing took place but denied any hand in the murder.

In a phone interview, State Prosecutor Hazel Valdez said she won’t let this incident slide.

“We are not happy that he is given special treatment. We don’t know what else is accorded to him. We will verify the report first, then we will file the necessary motion to let the warden and other concerned officers to explain,” Valdez said.

At the Capitol, Gastardo told reporters that he spoke with Acting Warden Napoleon Miranda about the incident.  He declined to give details.

He said Miranda’s explanation will be given in a report to the Capitol committee on discipline and investigation, which will make recommendations to Governor Garcia next week.

Until then, Gastardo said all queries on the case should be coursed through him.

The video  footage showed Arsenio’s visitors bringing in a large pot and plastic bags of food into  the office of the warden where the inmate also entered. The inmate was  videotaped freely greeting his visitors,  without guards nearby, at one point embracing a woman who entered the lobby.

Gastardo said Miranda didn’t know that the incident was reported to him.