Dad seeks to prohibit use of communication devices in city jail

Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak

COUNCILOR Dave Tumulak is proposing an ordinance that will prohibit the use of cell phones, unmanned aerial vehicles like drones and other communication devices among the inmates at the Cebu City Jail.

Tumulak said the jail personnel and visitors are also not exempted from the ordinance.

The ordinance says that jail employees and visitors must surrender their mobile phones and other gadgets to the guard on duty before entering the facility. However, they can take their cell phones from the guard during break time if they want to use it and return it after the break.

Tumulak said the ordinance also allows the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Jail and Management Penology (BJMP) personnel to conduct a random inspection inside the jail.

Inmates who violate the ordinance will pay a fine of P5,000. Visitors caught violating the ordinance are also liable to pay a fine of P5,000 and will be banned from the entering the jail within the period determined by the jail authority. Jail employees who will be caught violating the ordinance will also pay a P5,000 fine and will no longer receive an allowance from the city government.

Tumulak said he will submit the ordinance to the council next week for approval. /USJ-R Intern DELYNE MARL A. SARAGENA