Capitol to probe complaint on province jail prostitution

The Capitol will investigate reports of trafficking of women inside the  Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City.

This occurred after a woman and her companion visited the office of Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale seeking help.

The woman said she was brought into the jail and was offered  to one of the inmates for sex.

In a press conference, Magpale said the woman, a native of General Santos City, was recruited by a man from a northern Cebu town who had promised her a job in the city.

Instead the woman was given a CPDRC visitor’s ID by her recruiter and told to pose as a live-in-partner of one of the inmates so she could ener.

The woman is now in  in the care  of  International Justice Mission (IJM) volunteers.

Magpale told reporters that the woman has not yet decided if she would  file a case because she’s scared and only wants to go home.

“We’ll help her file an affidavit and provide fare for her to go home,” she said.

Capitol consultant on jail matters Jose Ma. Gastardo said the woman was identified as a live-in-partner of an inmate based on her submitted Barangay Certificate, a requirement in applying for a visitor’s ID.

He said the certification showed that the woman and the inmate have been live-in-partners for 13 years. Gastardo said they will investigate the woman’s claim.

Magpale said she sent a copy of the complaint to Gastardo.

The Capitol consultant told reporters that there’s no proof that prostitution exists inside the CPDRC.

“We don’t go beyond verifying the truthfulness (of the barangay certification). We rely on the certification. We have 1,600 inmates inside the CPDRC. You can’t expect us to verify each of their partners,” he said.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the province is doing its part to maintain discipline inside the jail, where several wardens have been replaced.

She said they imposed “swift action” against jail officials who fail in their jobs.

“Of course, we do not investigate by publicity where we call for a presscon and wave a letter-complaint,” the governor said.

“Each person is deemed innocent until proven guilty. That’s the way we operate. I don’t know with Magpale. The way it’s being done, it seems that publicity is the way to go,” she said.

“You can’t directly wave around a piece of paper. You don’t have to call a press conference right away. We don’t call press conferences on the basis of a letter-complaint,” she added.

Gastardo said the provincial jail requires visitors to submit  documents to prove their relationship with the inmates.

Married couples have to  submit their marriage certificates, he said.

Live-in partners should present a certification from their respective barangays.

“Incidents like this give us a chance to look for better processes. I think the processing of visitors in the CPDRC, should be more strict,” he said.

Gastardo said there are 16 conjugal rooms inside the CPDRC where couples can have privacy.

A couple is given  at least 30 minutes every Sunday to use the room.