Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders
by Miriam Garcia Desacada
Tacloban City– While jail towers are associated with vigilance and stern discipline, one BJMP jail guard, specifically of the Tacloban City Jail, turned that narrow post into a place of purpose, persistence, and ultimately, triumph:
He is now a lawyer. He is Jail Officer 2 (JO2) Rayenric Virgil Philip Jay Borer Elecho, a native of Barangay Cavite in Alang-Alang, Leyte who is now a resident of Palo, Leyte with his wife and son.
Setting aside his lengthy first name, he is known to his family, friends, and colleagues as Rayen. Rayen took political science from Leyte Colleges before he enrolled in law, five years ago, at the Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation (DVOREF) College of Law. Becoming a lawyer was not only his own dream—it was his father’s for him. His father wanted to be a lawyer himself but did not have the time and opportunity, so he encouraged his children to pursue it. When he joined the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), studying law became a steeper climb.
Balancing a demanding government job and law school required sacrifice, discipline, and strong time management.But he did it. While assigned to the jail tower, he used quiet moments to read law books and review lessons. In his spare time, he made sure to study, even when he was tired. Still, he never neglected his duty as a jail guard. Work always came first.
The remarkable life of Rayen—from a jail guard to a 4-time flunker and then a lawyer, on his fifth try is an achievement for a man with limited resources. While at work keeping watch over the jail compound and inmates below, he studied whenever he could. “That was the time I learned time management,” he said. “Especially if I am at the tower where I read books and study.
Of course, I can’t ignore my duty to the job.” For many people, passing the Bar happens only once, but for Rayen, it took five tries. He failed four times, each loss painful, but he never gave up and let those obstacles stall his dream.
Every failure tested his faith in God, in himself, and in his family, yet he always returned to his post and to his law books. Rayen’s story is about his dogged refusal to let disappointment define his quest to become a lawyer.
In embarking on his fifth Bar, he took the step with more tenacity, this time with more determination than before. He was more like an injured lion that refused to recognize its wounds. Metaphorically, he crawled with his blood splattered on the ground. By the time he reached his jail tower post anew, he resolved to seek support from his peers and superiors this time: he asked for a study leave.
The turning point in his long journey came when the BJMP itself stepped in to help him focus on the most grueling phase of preparation—the final Bar review. After years of juggling full duties and repeated attempts, institutional support made all the difference.Responding to Rayen’s request, City Jail Warden, Lt. Col. Jim Ariza Buranday recommended for a 6-month paid leave that would enable Rayen to focus on his Bar review. When Senior Superintendent Rill Sonon, regional director of BJMP-8, approved the recommendation, Rayen was practically on his way.
His BJMP colleagues contributed by inspiring him with their encouraging words, telling him they believe in his competence and capacity to succeed.He admitted his pursuit to become a lawyer was pure struggle and, while in it, the answers came along: discipline and sacrifice must be his vehicle to get there, whatever it takes.Finally, in the 2025 Bar roster of passers, the name of JO2 Rayen is there. He is now Attorney Rayen Elecho.
Thanking his family for their moral support, Atty. Elecho also expressed deep gratitude to the BJMP family for their trust and encouragement, especially to TCJ Warden Buranday and BJMP Director Sonon for granting his study leave that opened up his pathway to a successful Bar. “I think they believed that I can do it.”What are his subsequent plans? “Because I am already a lawyer, I would still like to continue my job at BJMP,” he said.
Rather than immediately entering private practice, he chose to stay inside the system he knows best. “I believe that being a lawyer, I can still help more people who are still in jail in ways that I now can legally do for their release.”When he first studied law, he admits that private practice was the goal. But years of guarding detention facilities changed that. “For as long as I am still here,” he said, “I will help the inmates get legal assistance for their freedom.
That will be my focus for now.”As a newly minted lawyer, Atty. Elecho carries his hard-won lessons with humility. When asked if his colleagues can follow the same path, his advice is direct and grounded in experience. “If they are determined, they can,” he said. “Even if we are in government service, if we want to study, time management and perseverance are what we need.”
He emphasized sacrifice—giving up distractions—and self-discipline. “Challenges and hardship are temporary,” he said, “but discipline must be constant.”Atty. Elecho’s story is a vital reminder that failure does not mean the end. Sometimes, success comes after many attempts, strong external, but with the internal courage to keep going. From the jail tower to the Bar, his journey proves that determination and perseverance can eventually turn repeated defeat into lasting victory.And for the inmates who may soon find an ally in him—not just a guard, but a lawyer—his success is proof that even behind bars, hope can survive, and persistence can still set someone free. —Miriam G. Desacada
