608% congestion rate in metro jails alarms BJMP chief
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) day officer-in-charge, Jail Chief Supt. Allan Iral, said on Tuesday that the congestion rate at jail facilities in the National Capital Region (NCR) is 608 percent.
“Ang congestion rate in NCR malaki na. 608 po ang NCR, out of the 442 out of the nationwide average so mataas nang bahagya,” Iral told reporters in a press briefing at the BJMP Headquarters in Quezon City on Tuesday.
(The congestion rate in the National Capital Region is 608 percent, slightly higher than 442 percent average nationwide.)
Iral said the Manila City Jail and Quezon City Jail are the two most populated jail facilities in Metro Manila.
The Manila City Jail houses 5,731 persons deprived of liberty (PDL), but the facility has a capacity for only 1,200 PDLs. Quezon City Jail, on the other hand, has 5,236 PDLs but is capable of sheltering only 800 to 900 PDLs.
Iral said the issue can be addressed by creating a National Project Monitoring Team to fast-track the construction of jail facilities.
“Kaya po may creation ng national project monitoring team. Sila na mag-eensure na dapat yung project [ay] gagawin lalo na sa construction ng facilities,” Iran said.
(That is why a national project monitoring team is created to ensure that the construction of facilities will push through.)
“‘Pag sinabi sa contract na one year tapos yung building dapat within one year ma-turnover sa amin,” he added.
(If the contract states that the project should be finished in one year, the building must be turned over to us in one year.)
Iral told reporters after the press briefing that he expects a 200-percent decrease in the congestion rate of jail facilities nationwide once the projects are completed.
He noted that the construction of two jail facilities — one in San Juan City and another in Payatas, Quezon City — could accommodate more PDLs.
He expects the jail facility in Quezon City to be finished in 2021. Meanwhile, the facility in San Juan may be completed next year. /ee
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