Freedom and Death Inside the Jail.pdf - The Action Program for ...

90
Freedom and Death Inside The Jail
tinapay or deadly weapons, are then sent to the frontline of the
battleground. They are prepared to fight and die for the pangkat
when riots erupt.
It is easy to see why, to inmates, being a nanunungkulan is an
important position. Being a nanunungkulan comes with economic
benefits: a weekly allowance, the right to conduct business (such
as maintaining a billiard table, putting up a food stall, financing
a cigarette vendor), and exemption from certain rules (such as
participating in the daily headcount).
Coordinators
A coordinator is privileged enough to sleep on a relatively
comfortable tarima.
There are three kinds of coordinators—paralegal, medical, and
worship. Their functions are external to the cells and brigades.
They serve as some sort of liaison officers among jail personnel,
volunteers, and inmates.
Coordinators are appointed through a selection process. First,
the cell/brigade leader selects an inmate to be the paralegal or
medical or worship coordinator. The chosen inmate will then
present himself to the NGOs for confirmation. Upon confirmation,
he will present himself to the Jail’s paralegal or medical or
worship section for recognition. If all the parties agree that the
inmate is suited to become a coordinator, he is officially appointed
to the position.
Being a coordinator comes with several benefits. He can go out
of the cell anytime as he is exempted from cell duties and padlock
hours. He also gets a weekly allowance of P50 (at least, for Annex
Building or non-pangkat members). Moreover, he has the privilege
of being a priority recipient of palakad or food from NGOs.
Paralegal coordinators play a crucial role in the fate of inmates’
cases. They are the link of the BJMP paralegal officers and all the
paralegal volunteers to their fellow inmates. Most of the time,
Worship coordinators lead in the singing during a bible study
session.