Warden: No VIP treatment for Bedol if taken to Manila jail

The Manila City Jail (MCJ) warden said Thursday that embattled Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol would be treated as an ordinary inmate if he is arrested and taken by authorities to the facility. MJC warden Supt. Allan Iral said Bedol, who is now the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by the Commission on Election (Comelec) on contempt charges, will not be given special treatment. “Definitely, Bedol will not be given special treatment. The moment law enforcers arrest him and bring him to us, we will accept him as long as they present us a commitment order," said Iral. The Comelec earlier said Bedol would be detained at the MCJ in Sta. Cruz, Manila possibly for six months if he is arrested. Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer, head of Task Force Maguindanao, said Bedol must serve the jail term for indirect contempt that is punishable by six months imprisonment and a fine of P1,000. Aside from contempt, the Comelec en banc ordered its legal department to file charges of infidelity in the custody of public documents against Bedol. In addition, an administrative case under the Civil Service Law would not be initiated by the legal department that might lead to the eventual removal of Bedol from the poll body. Iral said Bedol could be detained at Brigada 3 or 5 of the Manila City Jail where many fellow Muslims are serving jail terms. “We might mix him with other Muslim detainees. And he will be placed in non-gang affiliation area," said Iral. “You see Bedol is not yet convicted and I heard that no criminal charges have been filed against him at present. He was ordered arrested by the Comelec for indirect contempt so we are thinking if we can do something not to mix him with other inmates. But definitely no special treatment," said Iral. But Iral said the MCJ, which is designed to hold 1,200 inmates, has4,338 inmates. - GMANews.TV