Capitol mulls allocating funds for municipal jails

THE Capitol is considering to fund part of the jail management expenses of towns and cities in the province to avoid congesting the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC).

Acting Cebu Gov. Agnes Magpale said while the provincial jail cannot accommodate more prisoners, the Capitol can find a way to subsidize the municipal jails.

“I understand that the local government units (LGUs) don’t have enough funds for foods so I was thinking that for the meantime, we can find a way to subsidize them and they’ll just stay in the town jails,” she said.

She said a Capitol consultant told her that funds for the temporary detention of detainees in municipal jails can be sourced from the mayor’s Intelligence Fund.

The CPDRC in barangay Kalunasan in Cebu City now holds 1,684 detainees or more than its capacity of 1,400 inmates.

Magpale yesterday sent another letter to Oslob Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 62 Judge James Himalaloan, who ordered municipal court judges to commit their prisoners to CPDRC.

She asked the judge to reconsider his order.

But Magpale said the transfer of 30 CPDRC inmates next week to Muntinglupai may open up space for other inmates in the facility.

The CPDRC has more than 100 cells with 12 to 16 inmates per cell and closed circuit TV cameras in each floor.

It was opened in 2004 during the term of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

Magpale said it is up to Cebu Governor elect Hilario “Junjun” Davide III to make “long-term plans” for the CPDRC.

Davide is set to assume office on July 1.

“Another floor for the CPDRC building maybe? I think the lots beside the jail compound are already occupied,” Magpale told reporters. With Correspondent Renan Alangilan