MANILA — Former Commission on Audit and Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon urged former congressman Mike Defensor to file a complaint against a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology guard who allegedly struck him during a tense encounter at the Sandiganbayan.
Guanzon said the guard and his supervisor should be investigated, and that the personnel involved should be dismissed if the allegation is proven.
What is alleged
The incident is reported to have occurred as Defensor was speaking to reporters about alleged raids on his detention cell. The allegation has not been established, and no complaint arising from it had been confirmed filed at the time of reporting.
BJMP personnel are responsible for the custody of detainees during court appearances, which places them in direct contact with detainees in areas where media are often present.
Why the call matters
Guanzon’s position carries weight because of the offices she has held rather than any role in the case. Her point — that a supervisor should be examined alongside the individual officer — reflects the standard approach in custodial-conduct complaints, where command responsibility is treated as a separate question from the act itself.
Administrative complaints against jail personnel are handled internally by the BJMP, while criminal complaints would proceed through the prosecution service.
What our readers said
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Other recurring themes were appreciation or thanks (10), calls for action or accountability (10), questions about timing or priorities (5), politics, campaigning or elections (5).
Themes were identified by keyword analysis of comment text. The sample reflects the reaction of this publication’s readers rather than a scientific survey of public opinion, and individual commenters are not identified.
Reporting by Breaking News Negros Oriental. The allegation described is unproven and no court or administrative body has ruled on it.
