Capitol hires more watchmen for CPDRC

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu provincial government has hired additional watchmen to augment the security force of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC).

This after the suspension of 12 personnel linked to smuggling contraband and illegal drugs into the jail facility.

Bonifer “Bhobby” Nacorda, head of the Capitol’s Human Resource Department, said that aside from the 14 watchmen hired just last month, they have hired additional 10 watchmen. These 10 still need to undergo orientation.

Nacorda added that two more are expected to join the 10 once they have complied with the employment requirements.

According to Nacorda, Assistant Jail Warden Audesti Miguel has requested 20 watchmen for CPDRC to fill in the vacant posts left by those jail guards who were subjected to a month-long preventive suspension by the governor.

Governor Hilario Davide III earlier suspended 10 jail guards and two casual employees of CPDRC for their alleged involvement in sneaking contrabands and illegal drugs into the provincial penitentiary.

“Ang job order personnel nga watchmen, ang ilang mahimo ra gyud kay pagbantay sa perimeters. Sa katong mga prison guards nga naa gyud mas bug-at nga responsibilidad, dili na siya pwede buhaton sa watchmen so mao na nag-arrange sa mga functions sa mga nahabilin nga permanent para more or less mao’y mu-cover sa function sa mga gi-preventive suspension nga mga empleyado,” Nacorda explained.

He said that the Provincial Committee on Discipline and Investigation (CODI), tasked by the governor to conduct an investigation on the suspended employees, had already sent notices to the personnel, giving them 5 days to answer the allegations against them.

The case of the 12 suspended personnel will be taken up during CODI’s regular meeting scheduled for Wednesday. (FREEMAN)