No special treatment for Capalla inside the jail

By Maricar M. Calubiran

Arrested ex-rebel Romeo Capalla is treated like an ordinary prisoner inside the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center.

This was assured by IRC warden Sr. Supt. Juan Mabugat in an interview with The News Today.

Capalla, 56, allegedly the former commanding officer of the Corazon Chiva Waling-waling Command of the Panay Regional Party Committee of the New Peoples Army was arrested Wednesday morning last week in a checkpoint in Oton by the joint team of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office and the Task Force Panay.

His arrest was in relation to the warrant of arrest issued by Judge Teodulo Colada of the Municipal Trial Court in Guimbal on February 21, 2005. No bail was recommended for his temporary liberty.

Mabugat said Capalla has to abide with the rules and policies imposed inside the rehabilitation center. He is allowed to go out of the detention cell and participate in the athletics program obliged among the detainees.

He added that it is not only Capalla who should follow the rules and regulations inside the rehabilitation center but also his visitors. His (Capalla's) visitors should observe the visiting hours and submit themselves for inspection prior to their entry inside the detention cell.

The provincial warden said he will not prevent any of Capalla's former peers to visit him as long as they follow the rules. He stressed that women are not exempted from the said inspection. They are assisted by women jail guards during the inspection.

Mabugat said the conduct of inspection is very important aspect of the security plans for a detention cell. The inspection will deter the entry of illegal drugs, bladed weapons and firearms. Prisoners are not also allowed to bring cell phones while inside the detention cell. They are allowed to make and receive calls using the rehabilitation center's phone lines.

He added that Capalla would be released from the rehabilitation center as soon as the court allows him to post bail. His legal counsel Atty. Janne Baterna has already filed a motion to post bail before the Municipal Trial Court in Guimbal Wednesday. The next hearing for his case is set on Wednesday next week. The prosecution will still present two other witnesses to corroborate Capalla's participation in the crime.

Capalla is charged with destructive arson for allegedly ordering the burning of EC De Luna's asphalt batching plant in Barangay Particion, Guimbal on May 12, 2004. EC De Luna's asphalt batching plant was allegedly set to fire by rebels after they refused to pay the revolutionary tax. The suspect was allegedly seen by a witness in the crime scene.

Also accused of planning the atrocity were Reynaldo Bocala, Jessie Lipura, Roberto Gomia and Fernando Baldomero, whom the PNP and the AFP tagged as ranking officials of the NPA. Bocala, believed to be the second top official of the Panay Regional Party Committee was arrested years ago for illegal possession of firearm and was detained at the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center. He however jumped bail.

Earlier, Capalla denied he was one of the planners in the burning of EC De Luna's equipment though he was once the operations officer of the NPA. He said he is already engaged in legal business. Presently, he is the manager of Panay Fair Trade Center in Oton which exports banana chips, muscovado sugar and ginger tea to different countries in Europe and United States of America.