BJMP, Joy Belmonte inaugurate new jail facility in Payatas, Quezon City

Mayor Belmonte with BJMP Chief JDir Allan Iral, BJMP-NCR Director JCSupt Luisito Muñoz, and QC Male Dormitory Warden JSupt Michelle Bonto at the turnover

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City-LGU on Tuesday turned over a new detention facility in Barangay Payatas to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

Mayor Joy Belmonte led the ceremonial turnover and blessing of the facility on Payatas Road, which can accommodate at least 4,400 persons deprived of liberty or PDLs.

“The new QC Jail will be BJMP’s showcase as an outstanding jail facility here in the Philippines,” she said.

Attending the turnover were BJMP Chief JDir Allan Iral, BJMP-NCR Director JCSupt Luisito Muñoz, and QC Male Dormitory Warden JSupt Michelle Bonto.

The new jail facility in Brgy Payatas QC

The new detention facility is expected to ease congestion at the old Quezon City Jail at corner of EDSA and Kamuning Road, which has a population of 3,530 – way above its ideal capacity of 262 inmates or a congestion rate of about 1,247 percent.

The new jail on a 2.4-hectare lot donated by the city government, was constructed on a budget of P1.39 billion.

The city government contributed P39 million for the first phase of the perimeter fence.

In a statement, Quezon City Jail warden Superintendent Michelle Bonto said Phase 2 of the perimeter fence has a budget of around P100 million.

Bonto said the new jail has three buildings with 440 cells, each with an area of 47 square meters for 10 inmates.

“Each cell is provided with adequate water, entry of light and air as per the standard requirement of the International Committee of the Red Cross,” she said in a statement.

Mayor Joy Belmonte inspecting the facilities in the new QC jail in Payatas

Belmonte said a congestion rate of over 1,200 percent in a jail is inhumane and unacceptable.

She said she urged then mayor Herbert Bautista, now a senatorial candidate, to fund the construction of the jail for him to leave a legacy in the city.

“Mayor Herbert didn’t listen. He had other plans for those funds,” she said.

According to Belmonte, persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) will be able to move next year, after the city government completed the building of the perimeter fence of the new city jail.

Planning to build the largest BJMP facility in the country started during the administration of Mayor Sonny Belmonte.

In 2015, under the leadership of Bautista, the city completely bought the land for the facility and in 2016, the city and BJMP had signed the usufruct agreement.

RELATED STORIES

QC requires COVID-19 testing for PDLs before detention facility commitment

BJMP: 9 QC detainees, 9 jail personnel coronavirus positive

Despite rise of infections, BJMP claims jail facilities remain COVID-19 free

Over 15,000 prisoners freed to decongest BJMP jails amid pandemic—DILG