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.