MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has a new chief, and he served is Davao City at the same time President Rodrigo Duterte was mayor.

On Wednesday, March 27, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año announced Jail Chief Superintendent Allan Iral as the new officer-in-charge of the BJMP following the mandatory retirement of outgoing jails chief Deogracias Tapayan.

“Allan, you have been entrusted with more than 13,000 jail officers and non-uniformed personnel [to lead]. Mataas ang inaasahan ko sa ‘yo (I have high expectations of you),” said Año said during a speech at the BJMP national headquarters.

Iral worked as Davao City Jail chief from January 2004 to March 2006, and as Davao Region jail chief from October 2014 to December 2015. Both stints coincided with President Rodrigo Duterte terms as Davao City mayor.

But Iral did not get the post because of his roots to Davao. Before Tapayan’s retirement, he was already next in line as the deputy chief for administration of the BJMP.

Before occupying the Number 2 position, he served as the BJMP’s director for operations, for personnel and human resource, and for logistics. He also headed BJMP Central Visayas.

Iral is a member of the Philippine National Police Academy Sandigan Class of 1994. He has since been given the Lakan Distinguished Award of the PNPA, which is the highest honor the school gives.

He faces the challenge of decongesting the Philippines’ jail facilities amid an unrelenting anti-drug and crime campaign.

In his acceptance speech during the announcement, Iral declared the start of business, saying: “The order of the day is to ensure that all BJMP offices and jail units are drug- and corruption-free while the agency and its personnel co-serve in a culture of service excellence, integrity, and professionalism.” – Rappler.com