Jail coop probed over ‘corruption’

CEBU, Philippines – An inmates’ cooperative store inside the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) has been ordered closed by the jail management over allegations of corruption.

The starting capital of P1 million is now down to P300,000 after P700,000 was reportedly given to the inmates’ leader or bosyo Lito Granada who has already been transferred to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

The report is still being verified, though, through an ongoing investigation and audit, according to CPDRC officer-in-charge Roberto “Bobby” Legaspi.

A sari-stari store inside the jail was put up so that inmates can buy goods that the jail management could not provide, including toiletries and additional food.

Legaspi divulged that the cooperative is not registered under the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).

“It is not a legitimate cooperative. We don’t even know how it is being run and we don’t have direct control over it,” he said in a recent Provincial Board session.

Legaspi said the goods delivered twice a week to the jail would cost up to P65,000 per delivery, saying the cooperative pays cash in all its transactions.

The cooperative, he added controls the money and even the goods to sell.

The profit would go to the cooperative’s trust fund to be used during emergency cases and other needs of the inmates, including hospitalization expenses.

However, Legaspi said the province pays for the inmates’ hospitalization and provides for their medicines, not the cooperative.

“The provincial government is actually the one spending for the medical expenses of the inmates. That’s how confusing it is. But we are trying to legitimize the cooperative,” he said.

He said the store operations have been ordered stopped, adding that the store will be closed until a system is put in place to oversee and monitor the cooperative and all its transactions.

Vice Governor Agnes Magpale shared that one inmate owes the cooperative some P50,000.

“It is about time that we really audit the inmates’ money. We want to account every centavo there is because that money is property of every inmate. No wonder they can purchase drugs,” she said.

Board Member Sun Shimura, head of the PB committee on peace and order, has suggested opening a bank account for the cooperative to easily monitor its profit and cash flow.

Board Member Jude Thaddeus Sybico expressed concern that the store might be used as a venue for contraband items to enter the provincial jail.

“It (cooperative) could be also used for the entry of contraband inside the facility through the delivery of goods,” he said.

Legaspi said that inmates’ money might also be used to purchase contraband items like illegal drugs.

Bonifer Nacorda, head of the Human Resource Management Office, said money is considered as contraband.

“If there’s a store then there’s an assumption that prisoners have money. If the CPDRC food program is addressed then there’s no need for the store,” said Nacorda, a member of CPDRC Task Force.

He added that CPDRC livelihood programs should also be activated and strengthened as part of the jail’s recreation and rehabilitation process to divert the inmates from boredom and depression while waiting for the disposition of their cases.

The jail has only a meal budget of P60 a day or P20 per meal for each inmate.

CPDRC Task Force wants the management of the cooperative be part of the jail manual, which approval has been deferred on second reading for further study. — (FREEMAN)