Today’s scheduled turnover of the management of the Iloilo Provincial Integrated Jail (IPIJ) to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) was held in abeyance because the latter is not ready.

So, according to Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Dennis Ventilacion, the province has extended the transition to Dec. 31, 2013 to give time to look for a budget for the jail’s Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE). 

He said the BJMP-6 may have failed to meet the requirements set by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) thus their proposed budget for 2013 was slashed.

Ventilacion said under the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), the province will shoulder the jail’s MOOE for this year. In fact, the province has already allocated P38 million for the inmates’ food subsidy and the jail’s electricity, water and other operating expenses.

Under the MOA, the province has no obligation to supplement the MOOE provided in its budget except to provide anti-psychotic drugs, the funds of which shall be turned over to the BJMP and their procurement should be in coordination with appropriate government mental health institutions.

The legal officer also said Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr. has to oversee the operation and maintenance of the IPIJ during the extension of the transition period in addition to the powers and functions provided for in the MOA.

Under the MOA, the BJMP was tasked to provide the 2014 budget in order to fully operate and maintain the IPIJ after the extended transition period is complete.

Ventilacion also said the province has required the BJMP to submit a quarterly report through their officer-in-charge Chief Supt. Diony Mamaril.

After the extended transition, Ventilacion said that the province has the option to re-assume full management, supervision, control and possession of the IPIJ if the BJMP still has no budget to finance the needs of the jail facility in Brgy. Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo.

ASSUME

Yesterday, 82 provincial jail guards previously assigned to IPIJ assumed their posts as security guards of the Iloilo Capitol building and district hospitals in the province.

Ventilacion said by terminating the services of 70 security guards of the Elegance Security Agency, the province could save more than P 8 million for the whole year.

He said the province spends almost P 24.7 million for privately-hired security guards.

He added, the province can save on Capital Outlay, which includes beautification of facilities, repair other construction works needed, which will be the responsibility of the bureau.*