Following a noise barrage staged by several persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Negros Occidental District Jail in Bago City, officials of the Commission on Human Rights – Negros Island Region (CHR-NIR) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP-NIR), along with representatives of the PDLs, gathered for a meeting.

It was reportedly during the meeting that Jail Chief Inspector Crisyrel Awe stepped down from his post. 

Jail Senior Inspector Raymund Aro would take over temporarily, this was learned.

PDLs staged a noise barrage at about 9 a.m. on August 28, 2025.

The PDLs climbed to the roof their facility and flaunted their placards that called for the removal of their jail warden, referring to Atty. Awe who is only one month into his new post.

The BJMP-NIR would focus tightly on the purported sneaking in of cellular phones in the jail facility.

“Grabe ang number of phones, smart phones na nag-e-exist sa loob ng jail. We are very saddened with that situation. It’s very unfortunate na may cellular phones na ginamit and nakapalabas ng videos, which is totally prohibited, unacceptable sa jail management, breach of security namin,” said JSInsp. Juniven Umadhay, chief of BJMP-NIR Legal Service Office.

In addition, BJMP-NIR confirmed the use of “paper balls” [pepper balls] and tear gas to disperse a few persons deprived of liberty who resisted jail officers on August 28, 2025, as shown in a video that circulated online. 

“Those equipment were used after ang mga PDL nambato sa mga jail officers and vehicles,” Umadhay added.

Meanwhile, a Holy Mass was offered along the road outside of the jail facility to petition for peace and order.

“Naniniwala tayo na kailangan ng spiritual aspect ng mga PDL or uniformed personnel upang may harmonic relationship,” Fr. Melvin Fajardo, secretary of the Human Rights Advocates of Negros, said.

According to Kapatid Negros Occidental, a support organization of families and friends of political prisoners in the Philippines, that leads the petition seeking Awe’s relief from his post for alleged irregularities in the jail facility, it is important that the protest of the PDLs be heard.

“Nagre-refuse silang making [makinig] sa reklamo ng ating mga PDL. May rights ang ating mga PDL kahit na bilanggo sila,” said Felipe Gelle, convener of Kapatid Negros Occidental. 

GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas tried to seek a statement from past and current wardens, but they all refused an interview.