BJMP grilled on PDL who came out of jail a millionaire

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has been questioned in a Senate hearing after a person deprived of liberty (PDL) came out of jail a millionaire after 14 years.

In the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs hearing on Wednesday, Sen. Raffy Tulfo asked about the monitoring process of the BJMP, following a PDL who was supposedly allowed to operate a business inside the jail.

“When he entered he was just an ordinary guy, when he came out he became a millionaire. So, you allow a PDL to do business without any regulation? You don’t do any monitoring?,” Tulfo asked BJMP Deputy Chief for Administration of the Jail Bureau Dennis Rocamora, CESE.

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According to Tulfo, a former PDL had come forward saying he ran a business in jail selling “electronic telephone cards,” that raises the concern of unauthorized phone calls. 

“I don’t think you do that kind of monitoring. The one who came to me, he was selling telephone cards, electronic telephone cards, anyone can call. If you are a drug lord, your business outside will still continue,” the senator stressed.

Rocamora admitted that such instances happen in jail, citing that it is the warden’s responsibility to ensure jail policies are implemented.

“That really happens,” Rocamora began.

He then reasoned that in that particular case: “It appears that the jail warden is remiss in his duties because he is not implementing the policies in place whith regards to implementation of affording telephone calls to the PDL and those who transact in the jail commissary.”

Under the Bureau of Corrections manual, inmates are not allowed to engage in business activities “except when authorized to do so in writing by the director or the superintendent.”

Asked how the PDLs’ money inside the jail is tracked, Rocamora explained that some jails use ‘legal tender’ or cards in exchange for cash.

However, he clarified that only some jails have implemented the system, and many are still making use of cash inside the jail.

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PDLs are only allowed P1,000 on-hand per week, to which Tulfo suggested could be monitored by digitalizing the allowance system in jail.

“It should be digitalized, so that all the legal tenders that you are talking about are digitalized, entered into the computer, you can monitor the movement in the facility,” the senator suggested.

Later, Tulfo also raised the concern of the PDLs’ contacts. PDLs are allowed five relatives and five professionals for telephone calls and visitation.

“You should really monitor how they use the telephone,” he said, adding that, in other countries, jail calls are recorded.

Rocamora defended that it is jail personnel who dial the contact number for PDLs, but some are able to sneak in phones without the guards’ knowledge. He also noted that jails observe the PDLs’ right to privacy. /mr