Trillanes: ‘Special’ treatment for PDAF scam suspects should be the norm

To let ordinary detainees experience how senators implicated in the alleged pork barrel scam are being treated, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday pushed for the creation of a single bureau to manage the country's jails.

 

In a television interview, Trillanes, who was detained for more than seven years for participation in mutinies against the Arroyo administration, said all detainees in the country should be treated like Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., who are both facing plunder and graft cases in connection with the alleged pork barrel anomaly.

 

"Sa ngayon kasi, ang pagtrato kina Senator Bong at Senator Jinggoy, ganyan po dapat ang trato sa lahat ng detainees sa ating bansa. Ang detainees, mga akusado pa lang iyan. They are presumed innocent until proven guilty," Trillanes said in an interview over GMA News TV's "Balitanghali."


 

"Hindi po natin sasabihing special treatment kasi kailangan dapat ganyan ang pagtrato sa detainees. Ang sinasabi ng ilang kritiko na tularan ang ordinaryong detainees. Hindi na nga makatao ang pagtrato sa kanila. Bakit gagayahin? Kailangan po i-angat natin ang living conditions ng ating detainees," he added.

 

Estrada and Revilla are currently detained at the Philippine Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

 

Integrated jail system

 

To be able to do this, Trillanes urged Congress to pass Senate Bill 173, which proposes the creation of an integrated prison and jail system under one bureau under the Department of Justice, to be called the Bureau of Correctional Services.

 

"Ang layunin po nito ay pag-isahin na ang administration at management ng lahat po ng prisons and jails and detention facilities sa atin bansa. Ngayon, ang nangyayari, kaya iba't ibang ang pagtrato sa ating detainees dahil iba-iba po ang namamahala rito," Trillanes said.

 

At present, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology under the Deparment of Interior and Local Government supervises district, city and municipal jails in the country.

 

The Bureau of Corrections under the DOJ is meanwhile tasked to reform prisoners and to provide inmates with decent quarters. — Andreo Calonzo/JDS, GMA News