June 19, 2018: Steve Go. Mandaue City Jail
(Photo/ Norman Mendoza)
MANDAUE CITY JAIL
As authorities continue to investigate the killing of alleged drug lord Steve Go inside the Mandaue City Jail, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Central Visayas (BJMP-7) admitted that there are lapses on the part of jail guards in the facility.
At a press conference yesterday, BJMP-7 Information Officer, Chief Insp. Dennis Aliño said they have asked the jail guards to explained why there was a firearm in Go’s cell, which was allegedly used by his fellow inmate to kill him.
Go, 40, is considered a high risk inmate. He was shot four times in the head allegedly by Cresencio Heyrana whom he reportedly made fun of inside the facility at past 11 a.m. last Tuesday.
“Naay nakasulod nga armas so it means nay nag-pabaya. Mao ni karon ang subject of our investigation,” Aliño said.
(A firearm was seen inside the cell so it means someone was negligent of his duties. This is now the subject of our investigation)
“Our real concern here is the determination of how the firearm got into the jail,” Aliño said.
He said all 55 personnel of the Mandaue City jail including its warden, Supt. Jessie Calumpang, will be investigated and if necessary, relieved.
The BJMP official said they will let the police investigate the incident as it is a case of homicide.
“The PNP will be the lead agency. We will coordinate to them. And of course we will also continue our investigation on the incident,” said Aliño.
The BJMP investigation will include the administrative and operational aspect.
Polce Regional Director, Chief Supt. Debold Sinas classifies the killing of the drug lord as a major case.
“We will also investigate as to why nakasulod ang armas. The Mandaue City (Police Office) is on top of this situation,” said Sinas in a separate interview.
Meanwhile, visitation privileges of inmates in Mandaue City Jail are temporarily suspended to give way to the ongoing investigation but will resume on Saturday.
Visitation days are Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm to 5pm.
Warden Calumpang said they are also doing a thorough check of the building after discovering holes in the back portion of the facility, beside the former LTO-Mandaue office.
Calumpang said there was a hole on the second level near the detention cell, where Go and Heyrana shared the same cell, which he believes is where contraband is being brought into the jail facility. He said they immediately covered the hole and put additional lights in the area.
Just days after the killing, BJMP and the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG-7) conducted an Oplan Linis Piitan and were still able to confiscate cellular phones, drug paraphernalia and a sex toy, inside Go’s cell.
Apparently the inmates have learned to hide their contraband as jail authorities discovered contraband in the gutter of the roof, Calumpang said.
Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing was saddened that a shooting incident took place inside the jail facility.
“While it’s an unfortunate that it had happened inside the city jail itself, clearly he (Go) chose a very wrong path. Ang iyang involvement sa drugs and even sa activities that he was allegedly doing, while he was in jail. His continuing drug distribution network is bothersome. As a matter of fact, so many people, so many communities were affected by the drug community that he was perpetrating. Ang amo lang, justice was served. He got what was coming to him but it is my understanding that the BJMP is conducting an investigation and review,” Quisumbing told reporters.