Jail warden Nick Noble said yesterday the use of liquefied petroleum gas at the Negros Oriental Detention and Rehabilitation Center will entail additional costs for the provincial government.

Noble issued the statement after Gov. Roel Degamo instructed the General Services Office to study the possibility of using LPG as fuel, instead of making prisoners gather firewood for use by the Center.

Degamo said this will also address the risk of a mass jailbreak.

Noble, who has requested for the purchase of a vehicle to replace the dilapidated truck used by inmates in gathering and transporting firewood, assured the governor that only the most trusted detainees do the gathering of firewood, and are accompanied by enough security escorts.

The warden added that he cannot imagine the quantity of LPG that will be consumed everyday in preparing the food for the more than 230 inmates.

Meanwhile, the provincial jail also has to contend with a meager budget for the meals of the inmates due to the reduction in the Internal Revenue Allotment share of the province.

With only around P4 million as budget, each inmate is allotted P46 per meal, that includes boiled eggs thrice a week.*JG

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