LUCENA City -- The planned takeover by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) of the management and operation of the Quezon Provincial Jail (QPJ) here has hit a snag.

At the regular session of the Sangguniang Panglalawigan (SP) Monday, SP Member Romano Talaga tried to shepherd the report of the committee on laws he heads about the issue for approval along with the authority of Gov. David Suarez to sign on the draft memorandum of agreement (MOA) about the transfer of management and operation of the QPJ to BJMP but Quezon Vice Gov. Vicente ‘Kulit’ Alcala and SP Member Ferdinand Talabong blocked the hasty move.

“Has the report taken into consideration all the parties to be affected by the takeover especially the QPJ guards? Would not their job security be affected in the process?” asked Alcala, who said some QPJ employees had approached him and expressed their concerns on the issue.

Talaga assured Alcala that the concerned parties attended the public hearing conducted by his committee and that a transition period of two years is provided by the draft MOA during which the QPJ employees will still be under the provincial government and whose employment will be evaluated by the BJMP.

Talabong, a lawyer, also expressed concern for the hasty approval of Talaga’s committee report and supported Alcala, saying seven jail guards have also approached him (Talabong) for fear of losing their jobs once the takeover takes effect.

He noted that the provincial warden was absent during the committee hearing.

During Talaga’s committee report, he traded heated words with Alcala over the latter’s claim that he got some complaint by QPJ guards on the proposed BJMP takeover.

At one point, Talaga, a Suarez ally, asked Alcala to show the alleged complaint to the entire body, but the latter stood his ground, saying that as presiding officer it should be Talaga who should first show what he has got.

Cooler heads like SP Members Alona Obispo and Gary Estrada intervened and a five minutes break ensued.

Summoned to the SP session hall, BJMP Quezon District Jail warden Chief Insp. Bermar Adlaon told SP members that Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo has a directive to BJMP for the turnover of the provincial jails to make their management and operation more efficient and effective for the inmates.

It was learned that some 20 provincial jails have been taken over by the BJMP nationwide and five provincial jails are in the pipeline for BJMP takeover including provincial jails in Catanduanes, Sarangani and Quezon.

Alcala asked if the BJMP takeover of provincial jails is compulsory or discretionary and asked Adlaon of the directive from Robredo regarding the matter.

The session ended with the SP giving the affected QPJ guards one week to write down their concerns for inclusion to the board committee report before it decides to approve the draft MOA to be signed by Suarez.