The Pulupandan town jail was overflowing with inmates during the weekend after 45 of 187 residents facing arrest warrants for grave threat charges filed by supporters of Mayor Magdaleno Peña surrendered Saturday.

The two-cell jail that has the capacity to hold 15 inmates was so full, the elderly women and a pregnant one had been allowed to stay in the corridors of the police station that houses the jail, Senior Inspector Rone Grajo, the Pulupandan OIC police chief, said yesterday.

Grajo said among those who surrendered were 27 women and 18 men, including Barangay Captain Lowell del Carmen and his wife, Raquel, of Zone 6.

They were accompanied by Fr. Aniceto Buenafe, director of the Bacolod Diocese's Social Action Center, and Elda Mondia, wife of defeated mayoralty candidate Samson Mondia.

This brings to 48 the number of inmates, tagged as supporters of Samson Mondia, Peña's political opponent, at the Pulupandan jail since three had been apprehended last week.

On Thursday, barangay captains Renato Dioso of Zone 4 and Cristina Malunes Zone 3, along with civilian Joemarie Dalumpines were arrested by the Pulupandan police and jailed.

Doroteo Vellejo, head of Barangay Canjusa, is still at large.

Fr. Regner Dequina, in his homily at a mass at the Pulupandan jail yesterday afternoon, said "the intelligent man who follows Christ's teachings makes sacrifices for the welfare of the many, he does not take the easy path by following the dictates of those with money and influence."

The jail has only one functioning toilet and one area to bathe in, Imelda Castillon of the Diocese of Bacolod Social Action Center said.

Because the area is congested many of the inmates are forced to sleep in sitting positions and suffer from lack ventilation, she said.

Castillon said more of the accused who attempted to surrender yesterday morning were not accepted by the police for lack of space.

FIVE WARRANTS

Judge Manuel Limsiaco of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Valladolid-San Enrique-Pulupandan has issued five warrants of arrest against the 187 based on five grave threats complaints for the same offense.

Five Peña supporters filed the complaints against the accused for allegedly throwing stones, hard objects and pillboxes, and firing guns at the house of Councilor Hedy Gonzales while they and 21 others were inside.

The five and their companions had taken over the house of Gonzales after the court ordered her eviction based on a petition filed by Peña.

In the five warrants of arrest issued by Limsiaco he set bail at P6,000 for each of the accused for each case, or a total of P30,000.

Mondia raised bail for the first warrant for Criminal Case 07-044-P, but with the four other warrants pending the accused need to raise P24,000 each or remain in jail, Peña said.

MORE RAPS LIKELY

Peña said his 21 other supporters may also file separate charges for grave threats for the same offense against the accused.

The supporters of Mondia surrendered at the Pulupandan jail on May 15 based on the warrants of arrests issued for Criminal Cases 07-055 P and 07-046-P.

Limsiaco, acting on a motion for their release, issued an order remanding them into the custody of outgoing Mayor Luis Mondia and Elda Mondia, wife of Samson, on the same day.

But the complainants filed motions opposing the release and the court on June 22 issued new warrants of arrest for the Mondia supporters, Peña said.

CONTEMPT WARNED

Limsiaco in recalling the release, ordered Elda and Luis Mondia to surrender all of the accused immediately upon receipt of the order or face contempt, Peña said.

Peña said if Elda and Luis Mondia fail to surrender all of the accused, his supporters may be constrained to file contempt charges against them.

Elda Mondia said they only received a copy of the order of the judge on June 28 and that the accused on Thursday had gone to the church and Capitol for help, and to the provincial police command on Friday.

On Saturday she accompanied those who turned themselves in to the Pulupandan police jail, although they have a pending motion before the court seeking reconsideration to the recall order.

She said the accused surrendered because they also have warrants of arrest for the grave threats charges filed against them in Criminal Cases 07-047 and 07-048.

TRANSFER OF INMATES EYED

Since there is no budget for their food at the Pulupandan jail, their families will have to provide them with their food in the meantime, Grajo said.

With the Pulupandan police jail overflowing, Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, Negros Occidental police director, said he will discuss the problem with Peña who is now the mayor of Pulupandan.

This is a matter for the court to decide, not me, Peña said, pointing out that it was not he who filed the complaints or surrendered the accused.

Peña said he has instructed Grajo to file a motion with the court to request the transfer of the inmates to the Negros Occidantal provincial jail.*CPG

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