Ingram backs jail officials

Public Safety Commissioner Charles W. Ingram yesterday dismissed charges of incompetence leveled by inmates against officials of the Division of Corrections, saying they were qualified to run the prison.

Two petitions have been circulated seeking the ouster or transfer of DOC Director Greg T. Castro, Assistant Chief Juan Ayuyu and Capt. Johannes Ngiraibuuch whom the prisoners said were unfit for the job.

“I will not allow the inmates to dictate to me as to who we are going to hire to run the place. If I will let the prisoners dictate to me how I’m going to run the prison, then we might as well get rid of the corrections staff,” said Ingram.

According to Ingram, the complaints raised in the petition are just “lame excuses” on the recent escape incident and an apparent attempt to discredit the management of DOC. Three of the petitioners — Shawn Appleby, Melvin N. Basa and Jeronimo S. Ada — bolted out of the corrections Oct. 10.

The DPS chief said his office is taking necessary precaution by beefing up security to prevent another escape after the inmates warned of more jailbreaks if these officials were not removed. (See related story on Page 2)

“But if you want me to sit here and say we’re not going to have a jailbreak at any prison on this island, that is something I cannot promise,” said Ingram. After all, he said, prisoners were able to escape in Alcatraz, an isolated federal prison in San Francisco Bay area which had been converted into a tourist attraction.

On criticisms that the condition in DOC is far from perfect, Ingram said the government is doing everything to fast-track the new corrections facility.

“All these are being taken cared of. We cannot magically wave one hand to solve these,” he said.

The inmates claimed that they bolted out of prison because of inhuman conditions in DOC as they complained of dirty bathroom and toilet, mosquito-infested rooms, and lousy food.

Ingram said the corrections facility did not start deteriorating when he assumed the post on March 2, 1998. The leaks and cracks are due to years of neglect, he added, as he made a pitch against legislators whom he said equally share the blame for the current condition.

The food served to inmates are checked and meets the standard of the Bureau of Environmental Sanitation, according to Ingram. DOC management replaced the previous caterer in response to the previous complaints about the quality of food served. A nutritionist from the Department of Public Health checks the menu.

Ingram said it is not true that the food served is always dry. A sample menu consist of fried rice, coffee, bacon and egg for breakfast; rice, chicken curry, pears and apple juice for lunch; and rice, beef with vegetables, custard cake and orange juice. (See related story)

“If they don’t want to be here, they should have not committed the crime. It’s as simple as that,” said Ingram. He added that he can make the necessary arrangements for the transfer of inmates to other prison if they do not want to stay on Saipan.

DPS will investigate Magdalena Concepcion, mother of one of the inmates’ girlfriend, who allegedly faxed the petition of Sablan, Ada and Appleby from Hopwood Junior High to the Governor’s Office.

Ingram said the woman has done a great disservice to the people of the Marianas by helping the prisoners.