QC jail ready for Ampatuan Jr.
MANILA, Philippines - A space at the Quezon City Jail has already been prepared for Maguindanao massacre prime suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr., but its warden would rather bring the high-risk prisoner to a more secure jail facility.
"We already have a plan for his possible transfer. We already made security survey updates if ever the court orders [Ampatuan Jr.] transferred to us," Superintendent Nestor Velasquez, Quezon City Jail warden, told ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda.
Velasquez said if ever Ampatuan Jr. is transferred, he would be the 2,802nd prisoner at the Quezon City Jail, which only has a maximum capacity of 800 inmates.
The jail warden admitted that being detained at the Quezon City Jail would already be a severe punishment for an inmate. He agreed that the jail can be likened to hell because of the poor facility.
He, however, assured that the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has already prepared security measures to keep Ampatuan Jr. safe at the city jail.
"Bear with us. There would be no special treatment at the Quezon City Jail. If there is a court order, welcome to Quezon City Jail," Velasquez said, addressing Ampatuan Jr., who is currently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation's (NBI) detention center in its main headquarters in Manila.
I-hearing launched
The jail warden also suggested the use of the BJMP’s recently launched “i-hearing,” which helps jail personnel avoid the transfer of inmates from their detention cell to the courts.
He said the i-hearing uses a web camera connected to another camera at a court’s sala.
“It’s like teleconferencing. The inmate can attend a court hearing while inside the jail,” he said.
Ampatuan Jr. is so far facing 41 counts of murder for allegedly leading the massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao province last November 23.
The suspect has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. At least 16 more murder charges are being prepared against him.
Families of the massacre victims have made manifestations during the first hearing of Ampatuan Jr.'s multiple murder cases that he should be transferred to the Quezon City Jail.
They said they feel that keeping Ampatuan Jr. at the NBI detention facility is already some sort of a VIP treatment. They said Ampatuan Jr. should be brought to a common jail and stay with common criminals while awaiting resolution of the murder cases.
Better at 'intensive care' in Bicutan
Velasquez, meanwhile, suggested that the better detention facility for Ampatuan Jr. would be the Metro Manila District Jail inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.
"The facility has what we call the SICA (Special Intensive Care Area) building, intended for high-risk and high-profile inmates. If I would be given an option, I would recommend that he be transferred to the Metro Manila District Jail," the jail warden said.
Ric Diaz, head of the NBI's team securing Ampatuan Jr., meanwhile, denied that the massacre suspect is receiving special treatment from the bureau.
Diaz said the NBI does not "babysit" suspected criminals. He added that they are only making sure that Ampatuan Jr. would be safe and would not be able to escape while his trial is ongoing.
Diaz said 19 more high-profile prisoners are being secured at the NBI's lock-up facility. He said that they usually transfer the prisoners to regular jails once their cases are filed in court.
"But Ampatuan Jr. is not like any other prisoner. He needs special security because if he escapes, it would give us more trouble," the NBI official said.
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SOLITARY CONFINEMENT
WOULD SOLVE THE MILITARY WORRIES ABOUT THE AMPATUAN SAFETY... THEY SHOULD BE ALL IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT. PROBLEM OF SAFETY IS SOLVE AND IT'S LESS TAXPAYER'S MONEY TO PAY EXTRA SECURITY...
LET US ALL DEMAND "SOLITARY CONFINEMENT" FOR ALL THE AMPATUAN CRIMINALS WHO COMMITTED THE MASSACRE IN MAGUINDANAO......
Better Jail for all the Ampatuans...
THE JAIL FOR ALL THE AMPATUANS SHOULD BE THE SAME AS ANY ORDINARY PRISONER. DO NOT GIVE US THAT POOR EXCUSES THAT HIS SAFETY IS YOUR PRIORITY AND SO AS THE OTHER PRISONER INSIDE YOUR PRISON. A GOOD RESOLUTION FOR ALL OF THE AMPATUAN'S SAFETY IS SOLITARY CONFINEMENT. WHY DON'T YOU PUT ALL OF THEM IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT INSIDE THE MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON/S IN THE PHILIPPINES? YOU DON'T HAVE TO WATCH FOR THEIR SAFETY AND ALL OF THEM WILL HAVE GUARANTEED SAFETY 24/7. PRISON GUARD WILL ONLY CHECK THEM 2X A DAY.
HE IS ACCUSED OF THE CRIMES SO IN THE CONSTITUTION HE IS BEING PERSECUTED AS CRIMINALS. THEY SHOULD BE PUT IN THE COMMON JAIL AND LIVE A LIFE OF A COMMON CRIMINAL INSIDE THE JAIL. NOW, THEY CAN'T DEMAND PROTECTION ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY ARE CRIMINALS AND MUST GET USED TO THE NEW LIFE IN JAIL. NINOY AQUINO WAS IN JAIL UNDER MARCOS WITH NO SPECIAL TREATMENT AND HIS FAMILY CAN'T VISIT HIM REGULARLY UNLIKE THESE AMPATUANS, WHERE THEY HAVE MAIDS/SLAVES CLEANING THEIR JAIL CELL? THAT ALONE, WAS SPECIAL TREATMENT. LETTING THE FAMILY AND MAIDS BRING ANDAL JR FOODS TO JAIL IS A SPECIAL TREATMENT. HE SHOULD EAT WHAT THE FOOD THAT WAS SERVE IN JAIL SAME AS THE OTHER PRISONER. WHY WOULD THE NBI LET THIS HAPPENED? PEOPLE ARE SEEING THIS AND YES, THE FAMILY OF THE VICTIMS ARE RIGHT SAYING IT DISGUST THEM TO SEE ON TELEVISION HOW THEY LIVE THEIR LIFE IN JAIL. THEY STILL LIVE A LIFE OF A KING AND PRINCES...WAKE UP AMPATUANS...LIFE IN JAIL IS NOT ROSEY... AND GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY SHOULD NOT ALLOWED THIS TO CONTINUE.....AMPATUANS MUST and WHEN i SAID must!!! TRANSITION THE LIFE IN PRISON. SAFETY? THAT IS THE CONSEQUENCES THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO TAKE... SAME AS THE CONSEQUENCES OTHER PRISONS HAVE TO TAKE WHEN THEY GET INSIDE JAIL.
TO THE MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT:
ADAPTING TO COMMON JAIL ~ MEANING YOU SPECIAL TREATMENT AND THEY WILL BE EATING WHAT THE WARDEN WOULD SERVE FOR THEM. FAMILY AND LAWYERS WERE ALLOWED TO VISIT BUT WITH TIME SCHEDULE SAME AS THE OTHER PRISONERS. AMPATUANS MUST BLEND IN WITH THE COMMON AND ORDINARY PRISONER. WHEN YOU COMMIT A CRIME YOU MUST PAY....
Language Barrier
I can't believe the people of Philippines are being fooled by Ampatuan's lack of speaking English or even the national language, Filipino. Rizal's body would surely turn on his grave. Come on citizen of Filipinos! If could not speak the national language, how can you be qualified to be a politician. That just means, that anyone with poor education can run for political position - its such a dangerous matter. "Ang Salitang Batas ng Pilippinas" is clearly written in Filipino. And its safe to say that any politicians who can't speak the Filipino is unqualified to be a politicians. After all, how would you read the Constitution. Even if he didn't murder those 57 dead bodies, being unfit to be a politician in the first place due to fraud is punishable enough! I'm clearly ashamed of this. I mean, its common sense!!!