5
October 2006: 160th Day of Illegal
Detention
BY THE TAGAYTAY 5
Posted by Bulatlat
We, the Tagaytay 5, denounce in very strong terms the new
round of strong negligence and utter disregard of detainees basic rights
and welfare after the wide destruction in CALABARZON in the aftermath of “Milenyo.”
Eight days after “Milenyo” left, the entire Camp Vicente
Lim (Headquarters of PNP PRO-4A Calabarzon and 4B Mimaropa) and its
environs are still under darkness and with no regular supply of water.
Classes in this area are still suspended; normal office businesses in
PRO-4 are in disarray. Even policemen on duty always complain on the
unusually very long power and water supply interruption.
Most affected and oppressed by the power and water supply
failure here in Camp Vicente Lim are the Tagaytay 5 political prisoners
now detained in this headquarters. This gross deficiency in basic services
has created a very depriving jail situation – oppressive heat, no potable
water, even domestic water for the toilets; no ventilation. These jail
conditions have already led to various illnesses for the political
detainees such as asthma attacks, continuous coughing fainting, and
further psychological distress and anxiety.
And health conditions are fast deteriorating. In fact, we
are now bracing for possible breakout of pneumonia, broncho pneumonia,
amoebiasis and other deleterious diseases. This grave situation is further
exacerbated by the gross negligence of officers of this camp in resolving
the power and water supply especially in the Detention Center.
For the past seven days, the detainees were left to fend
for themselves or depend on the goodwill of some lower ranked police
officers to have some potable water, rain water and 5 esperma (worth P10)
candles. For three days out of seven, we survived with stacked rain water.
On other times, we scrimped for coins for our drinking water. Middle-level
and higher level officers have consigned us to the curt advise of “magtiis
at magtiyaga lang!” (just be patient) and nothing-more moves.
It is really unthinkable and very ironical that a major
camp, and regional headquarters at that, will not be prioritized by
Meralco in the restoration of its power services, nor that the camp itself
does not have any emergency gadget for whatever contingency. Indeed
Meralco would not prioritize power to the big debtor-customer with
hundreds of thousands of pesos in outstanding accounts, representing
several months of back accounts!
Hence, the authorities of this camp has left everything to
fate and nothing really moves hereabouts the past eight days to alleviate
our conditions, while they wait for the new Regional Director. This is
another case of gross negligence, blatant disregard to basic rights, as
mandated in the United Nations’ Standard Minimum Requirements for the
Treatment of Prisoners, and utter lack of humanitarian consideration under
the very abnormal and oppressive conditions. Our current prison conditions
are tantamount to cruel and inhumane punishment of unconvicted detainees.
We demand an expeditious resolution of these oppressive
conditions, lest the PNP will have no one to arraign on October 9. We can
only endure so much hardships and sufferings.
TAGAYTAY 5
(Axel Pinpin, Riel Custodio, Aristedes Sarmiento, Enrico Ybañez, Michael
Masayes)
Base Police Detention Center
Cam Vicente Lim, Canlubang
Calamba City, Laguna
Posted by Bulatlat
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