Ban on visits worries kin of Parañaque jail inmates

THE RELATIVES of inmates at the Parañaque City Jail are worried about their kin’s safety with visits still banned pending an investigation into Thursday’s explosion that killed 10 prisoners, mostly drug suspects.

Their anxiety worsened when a crumpled piece of paper supposedly from a detainee was found outside prison grounds. Aside from asking for help, the writer claimed that jailed drug suspects were being gradually targeted, a relative told the Inquirer in an interview on Sunday.

“We can’t be at peace until we see them. Even if the guards say our relatives are safe, we can’t take their word for it,” said the relative who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal.

“We think the visits won’t affect the investigation if the explosion really happened in the jail warden’s office on the ground floor. The male detainees’ cells are on the third and fourth floors,” she pointed out.

No mayores involved

Having visited the jail for more than two years, she said she was familiar with the mayores or cell leaders and no one among the blast victims was a mayores.

“It’s odd because only a mayores can raise concerns to the warden. Contrary to what the police said, an inmate can’t just set up a meeting with the warden. The inmates did not ask for the meeting, it’s the other way around,” she claimed.

A relative of Jonathan Ilas, one of the fatalities, told her that he was supposed to be released by the end of August. Ilas even quit as treasurer of the Sputnik gang because he was leaving prison.

“Most of the victims already have papers for their release, so why would they attempt a jail break?” she said, referring to the possible angle being looked at by authorities.

“Not everyone detained in prison is guilty. There’s really no due process anymore,” she added.

The Inquirer tried to get an update from Parañaque City police chief Senior Supt. Jose Carumba regarding the investigation but he had yet to respond at press time.

The explosion inside the office of the warden, Supt. Gerald Bantag, left him injured, sending him to the hospital. It was earlier reported that the 10 prisoners had asked for an audience with Bantag to air their concerns.