Atty. Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes. POOL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The warden in the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) told the Sandiganbayan on Tuesday that it could not secure a high-profile detainee like Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, an accused in the pork barrel scam.
Jail warden Elena Rocamora even admitted before the anti-graft court third division that technically, all jails in the country are overcrowded.
The BJMP had sent a letter to the court saying it does not have the capacity to secure a high-profile detainee like Reyes.
BJMP’s Rocamora told the court the female dormitory of the Quezon City jail is overcongested by 800 percent — it houses 504 detainees when the ideal capacity is 56.
“In my opinion, Reyes is a high-profile inmate. Her case is plunder. And her case is also sensationalized,” Rocamora said before the court in Filipino.
Associate Justice Samuel Martires then asked the warden if there is a distinction between a movie actor and a farmer charged with drug trafficking, to which Rocamora said yes.
“It’s the status of the case, at the same time, the status in society,” Rocamora added.
When Rocamora noted that the city jail’s female ward is already overcongested, Martires said that it is a violation of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights provision for the accused in detention.
“This is a violation of human rights, the right of human dignity…” Martires said.
Associate Justice Alex Quiroz asked Rocamora if they have any jail under their jurisdiction that is not overcrowded.
Rocamora said: “In my opinion, all jails are overcongested.”
The prosecutors led by Annielyn Cabelis said they opposed Reyes’ motion to be transferred to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center because her being a high-profile detainee does not mean she needs to be heavily secured.
“That she is involved in a high-profile case does not necessarily mean that Reyes should be accorded high security,” Cabelis said.
Cabelis also said the BJMP’s claims of overcapacity “appear to be unfounded.”
Reyes had asked the court to transfer her to the PNP Custodial Center from the Sandiganbayan detention room, where she is detained after she surrendered for plunder over the pork barrel scam.
The court’s third division said it would transfer Reyes to the BJMP, which later told the court it could not secure Reyes, the former chief of staff of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.
Enrile, meanwhile, is under police custody after he surrendered for plunder over the scam.
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