BALANGA, Bataan: The wives of inmates have smelled something fishy behind bars in the city of Balanga.

The provincial government and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology on Monday promised to investigate the entry at the Bataan district jail, formerly Bataan provincial jail, in Balanga of three women allegedly offering sex for a fee.

Engr. Enrico Yuson, provincial engineer, said that they will look after the alleged sex trade and other problems raised by some wives of inmates.

“Dapat magkaroon ng magandang ugnayan ang mga detinido, kanilang mga asawa at jail guards upang magawan agad ng paraan kung ano man ang problema [There has to be good rapport between detainees, their wives and jail guards so that we can thresh out whatever problems there are],” he said. Yuson is the chairman of various committees created by Gov. Enrique Garcia looking after the district jail.

Ben Medina, community relations officer under Garcia, said that he was informed that three women were allowed at Brigada Sto. Niño on December 24. “Paanong nakapa-sok ang tatlong babaing bayaran sa loob [How could these women for sale have access there],” he said.

“Nagtataka kami kung bakit may nakapasok na ganun. Kung may pera pala asawa namin, pwede pala ganun [We wonder how these women gained entry there. Had our husbands had money, they might be tempted],” said Norma Diwa, wife of one of the inmates. She was with other five wives of detainees who aired their complaints to Yuson.

Reggie Laudirez, administrative officer of Bataan district jail, said that they have begun the investigation and in the process of ascertaining who were involved in the entry of the women. “Identified na ang tatlong babae at ban na sila sa jail [The three women have been identified and they’re now banned there],” he said.

Another problem brought out by the spouses of detainees was about the use of part of the conjugal visitation room as isolation room for detainees afflicted with tuberculosis and other diseases.

Wives of inmates are allowed a day of conjugal visit for every week.

Yuson immediately acted on the request and instructed his engineers to construct a separate isolation room.

There are 1,040 male and about 80 female inmates at the Bataan district jail under the Jail Management bureau.