Ombud to probe Bella’s ‘jail food treat’
AN inquiry into reports that Bella Ruby Santos’ relatives gave free food to inmates and jail guards in the Naga City jail will be made by the Ombudsman-Visayas.
Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago docketed the report published in Cebu Daily News last Oct. 13 for fact-finding last Friday.
She said the inquiry will be done by the Office of the Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices (Moleo) in Manila.
Jail officials earlier denied accepting any of the “humba” and fish brought to the jail.
In a phone interview, defense lawyer Julius Caesar Entice said they welcome the inquiry and no special treatment was given to Santos, one of two main suspects in the kidnap-murder of 6-year-old Ellah Joy Pique.
“It’s the discretion of the Ombudsman to investigate. There is really nothing wrong if food was served,” he said.
Entice said relatives of Santos brought a lot of food last week and since there was an excess, it was shared with other detainees. The jail guards weren’t fed, he said.
He said the opposing camp was exaggerating.
“They are trying to sway the court to transfer Bella (to the provincial jail),” he said.
Last Wednesday, a police source told CDN Santos’ family brought several kilos of humba (stewed pork) and fish, which was shared with inmates and jail guards, who were purportedly asked not to allow the media to come in.
Naga City Jail warden Jenesis Mongcopa denied the reports. He said it’s against policy for the guards to accept food donations from visitors.
Santos, who was arrested last Oct. 7 in Manila, insists that she and her British partner Ian Charles Griffiths are falsely accused of the crime of kidnapping and killing of Ellah Joy’s.
