National summit set to address jail congestion problems, says solon

 

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker said that the National Jail Decongestion Summit on December 6 and 7 will be a significant step in discussing the country’s problems in the congestion of jails.

“This commendable effort is a significant step in tackling the pervasive issue of jail congestion. We are confident that the summit would be able to come up with ways to reduce backlogs and speed up the disposition of cases to help  address the overpopulation in our jails and prisons,” Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Brian Yamsuan said on Tuesday.

The summit is organized by the Justice Sector Coordinating Council composed of the Supreme Court, Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

In August, Yamsuan also filed House Bill No. 8672 which aims to create a Department of Corrections and Jail Management (DCJM).

“At the same time, we hope that the participants in the summit would also consider the long-term solution of integrating the country’s fragmented correctional system. We have been pushing for this reform through our measure that seeks to create the Department of Corrections and Jail Management,” he said.

Data from the Bureau of Corrections show that there are over 50,000 inmates in all penal facilities in the country, but the total capacity is only 12,250 inmates.

RELATED STORIES:

House bill seeks creation of Department of Corrections and Jail Management 

BuCor needs P205B to decongest facilities by 2028