Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla: All is well in jail

MANILA, Philippines—”We are not complaining,” detained senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada made this clear to a police official in the wake of reports that the two have been whining about the conditions inside their cells.

“I talked to Senator Bong ‎(Revilla). He wanted to send you his well wishes and he also wanted me to tell the media that he is not complaining about cockroaches and rats inside their jail,” the Public Information Office chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) told reporters on Wednesday.

When Revilla was admitted on Friday to the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, his family first complained about the lack of ventilation inside his 32-square-meter detention room.

His room was also allegedly infested with cockroaches and rats. But they did not complain outright about the crawling pests.

Then came the issue of Revilla and cellmate Estrada, who’s on his third day in jail, refusing to eat the PNP food.

Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP PIO chief, said that Revilla and Estrada want the public to know that they never complained about their conditions in jail.

‎”Pinapasabi nila na hindi sila nagrereklamo. They return their food ration to us and we (distribute) it to other inmates there,” Sindac said.

The police official earlier said that there were ample food supplies for ‎the senators their families brought for them.

“Ever since, Revilla said he never had complaints. He said his lawyers were just joking,” he added.

‎To get rid of the roaches and rats at the PNP Custodial Center, Sindac said pest control measures are underway.

“We are doing this for all the inmates, not just for them (senators),” he said.

Last Tuesday morning, ‎they were rationed with salted eggs and daing (dried fish) for breakfast and paksiw na bangus (milkfish vinegar stew).

Last night, Estrada and Revilla slept early at 11 p.m.

Asked if what were their activities to pass the time, Sindac said Revilla had been watering plants outside his room in the morning and afternoon.

“As for Senator Jinggoy, I was not able to talk to him. He was inside his room and I did not want to disturb him,” Sindac added.

 Originally posted: 3:12 pm | Wednesday, June 25th, 2014

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