Men in civilian clothes block media from going near David Jr.

At least seven private individuals in civilian clothes have restricted the media from going near the detention cell, and taking photographs and videos of David Lim Jr. at the Cebu City Police Office stockade, (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

At least seven private individuals in civilian clothes have restricted the media from going near the detention cell, and taking photographs and videos of David Lim Jr. at the Cebu City Police Office stockade on Wednesday afternoon.

Upon learning about it at around 7 p.m., Senior Supt. Joel Doria, director of the CCPO, immediately went to the stockade and reprimanded the two police officers guarding the facility, mandating them to take full control of the jail.

The civilians who appeared to be bodyguards of Lim were sent away by the two policemen.

“Bawal yan. Hindi pwede magbantay ang mga civilians sa jail. (Private citizens are supposedly not allowed to guard the jail),” Doria said.

He warned the two policemen to do their job or they will face appropriate sanctions.

“An investigation has to be made. I don’t tolerate these kind of behaviors,” an irrate CCPO director said.

On Tuesday morning, reporters tried to come near Lim’s detention cell but a relative prohibited them, even shoving one of the reporters.

“Sakto na. (That’s enough). Why don’t you look for other news items,” the relative told the reporters.

In the afternoon, at least seven men arrived and prevented reporters from going inside the jail, giving rise to rumors that Lim may have been provided with special treatment and perhaps allowed to use a cellular phone.

Past 6 a.m., a police officer barred the media from entering the stockade, saying visiting hours is only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The reporters obliged. At around 7 p.m., two relatives of Lim arrived and were allowed to enter the facility by the two uniformed policemen on duty.

Doria who was also informed about the incident scolded the policemen.

“Magtrabaho kayo. Ipatupad ninyo kung ano ang nararapat. (Do your work. Implement what is proper),” he told them.

Doria explained that the media are allowed to come near the detention cell where Lim is placed but during visiting hours.

“Wala naman problema na lumapit ang media sa detention cell niya. (We have no problem with the media going near the detention cell where David is placed),” Doria said.

On his first night in jail, Lim, who is detained in a vacant cell, spent most of his time sitting on a plastic mat while reading magazines and books brought by his sister and brother-in-law.

Two small portable electric fans were also brought inside the jail.

At around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, his sister and brother in law distributed ice creams in cone to male detainees in the adjacent cell. –Ador Vincent S. Mayol