Security risk

The sight of inmates on the road, relaxing with cigarettes in hand, riding the back of an open multi-cab with their warden calmly seated in front was disturbing.

From Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III to the provincial warden, the explanation was the same: There were no other vehicles available to transport them. It had been done before. The inmates were “chained together” and had no real chance to escape.

Readers can be the judge. What handcuffs were visible, if any, on the left wrist of one of the orange-garbed inmates puffing away?

With all the money generated from performances of the “dancing inmates”, one would think that the provincial government by now could afford to buy closed and secure vehicles to transport inmates to and from the court and back to prison.

If one were to recall, the whereabouts of donations and funds earned by these performances were what brought former Capitol security advisor Byron Garcia to fall out of favor with his sister, former governor and now Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu’s 3rd district.

The candid photo that went viral on Facebook was laughable if it wasn’t an alarming example of slackened discipline.

The inmates looked like barakada members on a joy ride with their guard lost in reverie listening to music with earplugs on.

Is this the way to conduct prisoners to court?

Would this sight inspire public confidence in the criminal justice system?

Even if the detainees were chained together, it wasn’t impossible for them to escape an open pickup and start a commotion.

We won’t elaborate on how it could happen lest we give them bright ideas— prisoners can be quite creative when they’re desperate enough for liberty. The point is: it can be done.

Under the Local Government Code, the governor is actually the warden of the provincial jail.

This being the case, Davide would do well to find out why this episode of transporting inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabiltitation Center (CPDRC) demonstrated sloppy custodial standards.

Better to lean in favor of strict enforcement of security duties than to deal with a vehicle load of escapees.