BJMP-6 temporarily halts firing activity in NODJ

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-6 is probing recent reports on the alleged slugs reaching a community from a gun-firing activity inside the Negros Occidental District Jail (NODJ) in Barangay Tabunan, Bago City.

Atty. Jairus Anthony Dogelio, spokesperson of BJMP-6, said they received information over the weekend that some slugs believed to have come from the firing range hit a roof of one of the neighboring houses.

This prompted the jail warden to coordinate with the barangay officials to check if there were official complaints. But Dogelio said that the barangay has not received any formal complaint.

Dogelio said they are validating with the police station if such an allegation was also reported.

To ease the situation, he said the regional office ordered to temporarily stop the firing activity at the NODJ’s firing range pending the investigation.

Dogelio pointed out that it is impossible for slugs to hit houses in the neighboring community because there is a firing range safety officer who ensures that the jail facility does not violate safe shooting rules.

Dogelio said the firing range inside the NODJ has a six-meter wall apart from backstops, sandbags, and old rubber tires.

Last week, NODJ personnel held a gun-firing activity at their firing range, which is a routine for all jail facilities nationwide, Dogelio said.

But he could not tell if the slugs that hit the house came from that activity.

He said that this is also the first time that such an allegation surfaced.

“We will look into it kung may possibility man gid na didto (NODJ) halin ang slugs,” he said, adding that they will institute more strengthened safety measures if necessary to prevent the incident.