Tension was high at the Bacolod City District Jail yesterday when several detainees staged a noise barrage and went on a hunger strike to protest against the newly installed BJMP district jail warden, Chief Insp. Amelito Fuentes, for his alleged inhumane treatment of them.

The detainees, carrying placards, banged the doors of the lock-up cells to express their grievances against Fuentes who reportedly treats them unfairly. They also refused eat the breakfast and lunch served by the BJMP to sustain their hunger protest.

Earlier, BJMP personnel led by Fuentes conducted a greyhound inspection at the BJMP that resulted in the recovery of about P59,000 in cash from two detainees, 18 sacks of rice, cellphones, refrigerators, electric fans, welding machines, improvised scalpels, forks and spoons among others.

Florentino Vergel, one of the 580 detainees of the district jail yesterday told the DAILY STAR, they are asking for the immediate relief of Fuentes who confiscated his 18 sacks of rice and two refrigerators, which he claimed had benefited not only him but also his co-inmates.

Vergel, chairman of the Bacolod District Jail Association, claimed Fuentes had limited their basic commodities like the food given by their "dalaw" (visitors).

Mario Segovia, also a detainee, said Fuentes did not conduct a dialog before implementing his new guidelines and rules in the jail, unlike previous district jail wardens. He said their visitors, including those from religious groups, complained that their clothes and underwear were being removed during search inspection, which he claims is "improper" and "inhumane"

Fuentes, meanwhile, said he believes the inmates staged the protest because of the confiscation of their equipment and other contrabands. He said the sacks of rice were owned by Vergel, the detainees "mayor", who must have organized the protest and hunger strike.

He said the strip search, which the inmates claimed "inhumane" is a Standard Operating Procedure of the BJMP before allowing visitors to the jail to prevent the entry of contrabands.

Fuentes said electrical equipment such a refrigerator and electric fans add to the electric bill of the jail.

Meanwhile, Senior Insp. Gilbert Peremne, chief of the Regional Human Resource Management Operation and Investigation, yesterday said the regional office has instructed him to conduct a pre-charge investigation on the incident. He said he will submit his recommendation to the regional office. He also said Fuentes had sought clearance from the regional office to conduct the greyhound inspection Saturday.

Meanwhile, Romeo Valdevarona, spokesperson of the Commission on Human Rights yesterday said the BJMP has not committed any violation in conducting the greyhound inspection and even in implementing rules and regulations. The strip search on jail visitors is not considered "abusive" because it is a standard operating procedure for fails.

The liberty of detainees is restricted so they can not indulge in any business while in jail, Valdevarona said.

Bacolod City police director Senior Supt. Pedro Merced, meanwhile, said what Fuentes did is inhuman. He said Fuentes only wants to cleanse the jail of contrabands, especially of drugs, firearms and bladed weapons.

Cresencio "Boy Palo, Executive Assistant to Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Ireneo Asuga of the Department of Interior and Local Government also met with the inmates and discussed their problems with them.*DMG

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