THE Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has assured the safety of actor-singer Vhong Navarro once he is committed to the Taguig City Jail (TCJ) in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig.

According to BJMP-National Capital Region (NCR) Director Chief Supt. Efren Nemeno, Navarro’s family has nothing to worry about the actor/singer’s security at the said facility where he will join other persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in a cell somehow congested by 400 percent.

Although Navarro is classified as a high-value PDL, he will still be in a cell with regular inmates.

Nemeno instructed jail warden Supt. Lloyd Gonzaga that there should be no preferential treatment accorded to the accused.

As of this writing, the BJMP Taguig was still waiting for Navarro’s commitment.

“Waiting pa rin kami sa NBI kung kailan ico-commit ang akusado,” Gonzaga told the Journal in the telephone.

The NBI, he said, visited the facility last Wednesday to inquire about the requirements needed for the actor’s commitment.

This was after the Taguig Regional Trial Court denied Navarro’s motion to remain at the NBI detention while facing a non-bailable charge of rape filed by former model Deniece Cornejo.

Upon his commitment at the TCJ, Navarro, according to Gonzaga, would initially be placed in isolation as part of the jail’s COVID-19 health protocols for new inmates.

“Mga 5 to 10 days siguro considering na fully vaccinated naman siya,” the jail warden said.

After that, the TCJ leadership will decide where to place the accused.

The facility’s jail population as of Friday was 980, occupying four floors with eight cells each.

Gonzaga said that the facility is dominated by the Sputnik gang, which composed at least 70% of the population.

If Navarro is found to have no gang affiliations, he will most likely be placed at the Cuerna.

Cuerna is a cell of PDLs not affiliated with any gangs.

“Wala siyang (Navarro) dapat ipag-alala sa kanyang safety dahil ang trabaho namin ay pangalagaan ang bawat PDL na nasa aming kustodiya,” the warden promised.