CPDRC smuggling contraband probe: 10 jail guards, 2 jail employees suspension lifted

After a month since they were placed under preventive suspension for their alleged connivance with those involved in smuggling contraband into the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), the 10 jail guards and two jail employees are now back at work.

Lawyer Orvi Ortega, Capitol legal officer and Capitol’s Committee on Discipline and Investigation (Codi) head, said that they are reinstated in their respective posts while the CODI will decide on whether the accusations against them will be upgraded into formal charges.

He also said that they and the accused met on Monday for a preliminary conference.

“We had a preliminary conference – still pertaining on the accusations hurled against them. But all of them denied (the accusations),” Ortega said.

When asked why they were reinstated when the investigation is still going on?

“We are still at the level of determining whether or not there is basis to upgrade them (accusations) into formal charges. But they already submitted their replies to our questions and denied the accusations,” Ortega said.

He also said that CODI would meet with the current and CPDRC wardens, staff members and the 12 accused for a clarificatory conference on Tuesday to find out if they would indeed file formal charges or not.

The current deputy warden, Audesti Miguel; former acting wardens Roberto Legaspi and Gil Macato; and former Jail warden Romeo Manansala are among those invited to the Tuesday meeting.

After that the CODI, Ortega said would write their case report, which would be submitted to Gov. Hilario Davide, who would decide on whether to act on their recommendations included in the case report.