Davide assures no riot at CPDRC under his watch

CEBU, Philippines - The recent riot at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, which killed high-profile inmate Tony Co, will not happen at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

This was assured by Governor Hilario Davide IIII, who is currently the acting jail warden.

 "We are watchful and closely monitoring our own facility, including the behavior of the inmates. I hope what happened in Bilibid will not happen in CPDRC," he said.

 The provincial jail located in Barangay Kalunasan in Cebu City houses suspected high-profile drug lord Alvaro "Barok" Alvaro and over a thousand of inmates involved in drugs.

 Davide said Alvaro is currently placed in an isolation cell.

 After Barok surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation in Bohol last June 21, he was turned over to the CPDRC and was immediately placed in isolation.

He was transferred to a regular cell after a month but was again placed in isolation after a SIM card was found in his possession during the surprise jail raid on August 13, validating reports that he had taken hold of a cellphone that kept him in contact with his family in Danao City who allegedly took over his drug operation.

 Aside from Alvaro, Davide said there are three to four high-profile drug personalities inside the provincial jail.

 CPDRC has a population of 2,933 inmates at present housed in its 119 detention cells, 110 of which are for male detainees, while nine are for females.

Senior Inspector Zosimo Jabas, chief of the Provincial Public Safety Company, said 60 percent or 1,705 inmates inside the CPDRC are facing drug charges.

 CPDRC is currently manned by 21 PPSC personnel who were sent last month following reports that a group is poised to spring out Alvaro and that contrabands continue to be slipped inside the province-run jail. (FREEMAN)