Jail wardens warned vs fake release orders

Wary of politicians’ tricks with the elections just a month away, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ordered jail wardens to verify court orders for the release of inmates. Sun-Star Zamboanga (www.sunstar.com.ph) reported Saturday that the Comelec told BJMP officials to verify court orders before releasing any inmate. “The story that desperate politicians using prisoners to terrorize or issue fake court orders to utilize inmates for special operations are issued that we are not taking lightly," said BJMP regional information officer Belsie Agustin. Agustin said all the wardens in the region have been instructed to “carefully verify" all release orders issued by the courts. He said this is to preempt the entry of the bogus court orders, as “(politicians) in the country have various tricks." Earlier, the Interior Department ordered the BJMP to make sure inmates are not released prematurely so politicians can use them for “special operations" such as assassination and harassment. Under the Election Code, the director of prisons, any provincial warden, or jailkeeper should make sure inmates do not leave jail premises “60 days before and 30 days after the elections." The Sun-Star report said that in Zamboanga City alone, there are 1,334 inmates, including 1,134 male, 155 female and 45 minors at the Zamboanga City Rehabilitation Center (ZCRC). ZCRC warden Victor Borres said he would not allow politicians to use the inmates in his jurisdiction. - GMANews.TV