Jail guard in ‘rice mess’ charged

A CRIMINAL complaint was yesterday filed against the jail guard who was allegedly responsible for the loss of the 35 sacks of rice stored at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) in barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City.

The Cebu provincial government filed charges of qualified theft against Antonieto Babor before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office.

The complaint will be raffled to a handling prosecutor who shall conduct a preliminary investigation against Babor.

The respondent will be given a chance to submit his counteraffidavit to refute the allegations.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, meanwhile, ordered a 90-day preventive suspension against Babor pending a probe conducted by the province.

The Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas is also conducting a fact-finding investigation on those who are involved in the controversy and whether there is negligence on the part of some officials.

The Cebu Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWD), the agency endowed with the responsibility to take custody of the rice supply, blamed Babor for the loss of several sacks of rice that were supposedly intended for disaster and emergency purposes.

Marivic Garces, head of the PSWD, said they have three witnesses against Babor.

She said she would recommend that the witnesses be placed under the witness protection program of the Department of Justice.

Garces described the withdrawal of the rice products as “irregular” saying it didn’t comply with the regular procedure prior to their release to Babor.

The 35 sacks of rice deposited by PSWD at the CPDRC house van were allegedly withdrawn by Babor at 3:40 p.m. last Monday.

Babor allegedly instructed 17 inmates to load the sacks of rice on a CPDRC Canter Van with plate number SGH-111.

He specifically requested the inmates to place 20 sacks of rice in front of the van while the rest should be put on the rear portion of the vehicle.

He allegedly drove the van at 3:54 p.m. and left the CPDRC.

One of the guards informed Capitol that the 35 sacks of rice were on its way there.

But when it didn’t arrive, Chief Supt. Cesar Veloso, provincial consultant on peace and order, went to Babor’s house where they saw three sacks of rice unloaded from the van. /Reporter Ador Vincent S. Mayol