Panel sets probe on prison chaos

The House committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operation holds tomorrow an oversight investigation into the Department of Public Safety, focusing on the problems which have hampered its operations and services, according to its chairman.

Public Safety Commissioner Charles Ingram tops the list of officials summoned to testify before the hearing which starts at 9 AM at the House Chamber on Thursday.

The list also include: Vicente T. Seman, director, Police Division; Gregory F. Castro, director, Division of Corrections; Herman P. Sablan, director, Fire Division; and Alice A. Agulto, officer in charge, Administrative Services Section.

DPS resident directors for Tinian and Rota, Vicente H. Borja and Richard E. Taisacan, respectively have also been invited, along with Assistant Chiefs of Police Claudio K. Norita (Special Programs) and Santiago F. Tudela (Fleet and Facilities Section); Police Captains Manuel Mangarero (Criminal Investigation Bureau) and Maximo S. Concepcion (Criminal Intelligence Unit); and Police Lieutenant Lawrence M. Camacho (Professional Standards Unit).

In a letter to Ingram, JGO chair Rep. Frank Cepeda said the oversight would tackle vision, goals and objectives of the department as well as functions, structure, operations, responsibilities and personnel of each division.

Likewise, the panel will also inquire into successes or failures of the various offices within the department, including problems which have affected their services to the public.

“You are urged to be frank, explicit and truthful so that together we can identify solutions to the problems at the department,” Cepeda told DPS officials.

The department has come under fire in recent weeks following the prison standoff early last month in which six inmates have been charged in federal court for seizing control of the male detention facility for 14 hour.

At least hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages were estimated by authorities because of the incident which were blamed by inmates for inhumane conditions inside the jail.

In addition, at least three incidents of jailbreaks occurred in the span of less than 10 months, including eight inmates who bolted out last month. Serving sentences for murder, abuse and other charges, they were either arrested or surrendered voluntarily to authorities a few days later.