Former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla and his four co-accused were served ginisang pechay for dinner Tuesday night and sopas with bread for Wednesday morning breakfast at the Quezon City Jail in Payatas.
Revilla and his co-accused — former DPWH Bulacan First District engineers Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza, Arjay Domasig and Juanito Mendoza — were isolated from the general inmate population.
They are facing a malversation case linked to an alleged P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Bulacan.
The former DPWH officials also face charges in connection with an allegedly anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro. One other official is detained in the female dormitory.
Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) spokesperson J/Supt. Jayrex Joseph Bustinera said on Wednesday their isolation was part of standard health protocols for newly admitted detainees.
The five are under medical quarantine and classification, a process that can last more than seven days, before they are integrated into the general jail population. Bustinera added that the jail has an infirmary staffed by doctors and nurses to provide medical attention if needed.
“During the seven days, we check their cell assignments, conduct a risk assessment, and determine the safest possible cell that won’t compromise the security of the other detainees,” Bustinera explained. “We call this a medical quarantine.”
Revilla will eventually be placed in a cell with the former DPWH officials.
Bustinera assured that Revilla and the others will receive no special treatment. They will get a daily food allowance of P100, the same as all persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), for four meals a day.
Revilla was issued a yellow shirt and jogging pants, the standard PDL uniform, along with an extra shirt and a hygiene kit.
“All unauthorized clothing, such as his civilian clothes, were returned to his lawyer. His gadgets were also returned because gadgets are not allowed,” Bustinera said.
Once the quarantine and classification process is completed, Revilla will be housed like other PDLs in a cell that can accommodate up to 10 inmates. The 47-square-meter cells have at least five bunk beds, a toilet, a shower, a sink, and running water. While there’s no air-conditioning, the rooms have ceiling fans.
“I want to stress that this is not special treatment. There are 3,612 detainees at the Quezon City Jail, and eventually (Revilla and the others) will be integrated into the general population,” Bustinera said.
