Suspected drug lord Alvaro ‘Barok’ Alvaro being processed at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) after his surrender in this June 23, 2016 file photo.
‘Drug suspect too high profile, ill-suited to be deputy inmate chief’
With the “bosyo” or leader of inmates being shipped off to the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa along with 14 others, a vacancy for the leadership now exists in the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC).
But acting warden Bobby Legaspi refused to accept outgoing “bosyo” Lito Granada’s recommendation to designate controversial inmate Bienvenido Noel and high-profile drug suspect Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro as “mayor” and “deputy mayor” respectively.
Granada had been the “bosyo” of CPDRC since 2012 after being detained in 2001.
He and 14 other inmates will be shipped off to the New Bilibid Prison or National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa today.
The CPDRC has 2,754 inmates and they choose who among themselves should be their next leader. Granada submitted a list to Legaspi who rejected it outright.
“I automatically told Granada to submit another list. I don’t think that would be a good recommendation. We have to look at the names. Definitely not Noel and Alvaro because they’re both high-profile,” Legaspi said.
Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said Alvaro was even put under close surveillance.
Noel was detained on murder charges at CPDRC in November 2010 and reportedly enjoyed special privileges.
His wife supposedly has free access to the facility without submitting to inspections given to regular visitors.
Noel gained notoriety in 2015 after being brought to the Cebu Doctors Hospital under an alias.
He was admitted to the hospital after sustaining a cracked heel bone caused by a fall while playing basketball inside the CPDRC.
Alvaro was detained at the CPDRC after he surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) last year.
Alvaro is said to be second-in-command of drug dealer Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz who was killed in a police operation in Las Piñas City.
During an Operation Greyhound in August last year, police found a sim card under Alvaro’s pillow which led them to believe that he is still communicating with his drug contacts.
In another Greyhound operation early this month, Alvaro was again found to have three cell phones in his possession.
Saying that it is the provincial government that determines who is the next leader, Legaspi said they prefer someone low key.
“We want someone who can actually work with the administration. Someone who’s neutral, that can work with us to also help eliminate the contrabands going in and out of CPDRC,” Legaspi said.
Legaspi said the next bosyo should be a spokesman for the inmates who can help enforce order inside the CPDRC.
“Through the bosyo, we can know what their concerns are and we can communicate our concerns so we can work together,” he said./Correspondent Izobelle T. Pulgo