Cebu inmate caught stealing coins from video machine for birthday

Instead of throwing a party, an inmate of the Cebu Provincial Detention Rehabilitation Center will have to spend his birthday Thursday in solitary confinement.

 

Dixon Oli was caught stealing some P1,000 in coins from the video game machines inside the CPDRC, GMA Cebu's Alan Domingo reported Wednesday.

 

Three other inmates were caught along with Oli for acting as lookouts while Oli destroyed the lock on the video game machines.

 

Oli admitted he wanted to get some money to spend for his birthday. He also said they had no money for personal items inside the jail such as soap.

 

"Nagbibiruan lang sana kami ... Natuluyan na lang namin dahil sa sobrang hirap, wala kasi kaming pang-sabon. Madalang lang din kung bisitahin ako ng aking ina, taga-Tuburan kami tapos malapit na ang birthday ko ngayon nang Huwebes. Kaya yun, 'suicide' na lang kami dahil nagbabakasakali na lang sana na may panggastos kami maam," he said.


 

 

Jail management consultant Marco Toral said three video game machines were installed in the facility to keep the inmates entertained.

 

But because of the attempted theft, the CPDRC suspended the operation of the video game machines.

 

"Sinabihan ko sila na binigyan namin sila ng prebilehiyo para maaliw para hindi maburyong, hindi masyadong ma-depress. Tapos inyo pang inabuso. Amin nang pinaputol, kinuha namin ulit," Toral said.  — Joel Locsin/ELR, GMA News