MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Third Division has raised concern about the inadequacy of closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera surveillance system inside the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) following claims that former House Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez could leave the facility.
In an eight-page order dated Tuesday, the court noted a Facebook post alleging that the BJMP QC Jail Male Dormitory allows Romualdez to leave his jail cell.
The court said that while the author recanted their post, it conducted an ocular inspection of the facility to check its condition, particularly the monitoring system.
READ: Court to BJMP: Did you let Romualdez out?
Upon its inspection, the court said it observed “that numerous closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed throughout the detention facility were not functioning,” noting the disclosure by officials of BJMP that of the 450 CCTVs installed, only 220 were operational.
It also said that only 28 out of 152 CCTV cameras are operational in the sector of the facility where Romualdez and other high-profile inmates are detained.
“More significantly, there were no operational CCTV cameras covering the area where accused Romualdez’s detention cell is located,” it added.
The court’s observation then noted that “[t]he resulting blind spots constitute a serious deficiency in the facility’s security and monitoring arrangements. They impair the ability of jail authorities to account reliably for the movements of persons within the premises, including persons under detention.”
Aside from this, the court also pointed out the testimony made by Jail Superintendent Maria Lourdes Pacion during the hearings conducted regarding the matter. During the hearings, Pacion said that the former House Speaker did not leave the facility.
“However, considering the numerous blind spots in the facility and the absence of functioning CCTV cameras in the area of his detention cell, the court finds that her categorical assurance cannot be independently verified through the facility’s CCTV surveillance system and its existing video recordings, which she and her personnel have reviewed,” it added.
It also pointed out the inconsistencies regarding Romualdez’s personal aide inside the facility.
READ: BJMP: Romualdez has 24/7 ‘on-call’ aide for medical needs
During the Third Division’s hearing on Monday, Pacion said that Romualdez has an aide who is on call 24 hours a day to attend to his needs. She then clarified that she meant that the aide, Arvin de Guzman, was available around the clock when needed, but was only physically inside the facility from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
With these observations, the court then ordered BJMP Chief Jail Director Efren Nemeño to submit within 10 days a report on the condition of CCTV surveillance system at the BJMP QC Jail-Male Dormitory.
It also directed the BJMP National Headquarters to address the security and surveillance irregularities in their facility following the court’s inspection. The headquarters is also ordered to submit, within 30 days, a report on the results of the evaluation of the matters. /cb