BJMP probes harassment claim against jail officer

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Region 6 will investigate a jail officer over an alleged sexual harassment incident involving a nursing student Sunday evening, June 28, inside the restroom of a mall on Roxas Avenue here.

In a media interview Monday morning, June 29, Jail Chief Insp. Juniven Rey S. Umadhay, BJMP-6 spokesperson and chief of its legal service, said the bureau would investigate Jail Officer Jun Develos over the complaint of alias Kyle, 24, of Roxas City.

Umadhay said the investigation is part of BJMP protocol whenever a complaint is filed against its personnel.

He said there may have been a misunderstanding because, according to Develos, he merely asked the nursing student for tissue and was surprised when the complainant took a video of him.

Develos told Umadhay that he went to the mall to pick up a dress he had tailored and later went to the restroom.

Develos said there was no available dipper, pail, or tissue in the restroom, so he stepped out and saw the nursing student facing a mirror, where he asked her for a piece of tissue.

Umadhay said Develos did not expect that his action would be misinterpreted by the nursing student.

Develos also told Umadhay that there were no other people inside the restroom aside from the complainant and her sister during the incident.

Umadhay said his office is open to receiving any complaint that may be filed against Develos.

As of Monday, his office had yet to receive a formal complaint against the jail officer.

Umadhay said that if Develos is cleared of the allegations, the BJMP personnel would have the right to file countercharges against the nursing student.

The BJMP, which manages district, city, and municipal jails, has internal procedures for administrative complaints involving its personnel, separate from any criminal complaint that may be filed before police or prosecutors.