Quezon City starts transferring inmates

INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City has begun transferring male inmates to a new city jail facility to address overcrowding in its prisons, local officials announced on Sunday.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Quezon City government started moving 364 elderly and disabled inmates to the new facility in the Payatas district earlier this month.

This represents the initial phase of the transfer, with the city’s total male jail population currently standing at 2,981 inmates.

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3 5-story buildings

The new 2.4-hectare jail adheres to United Nations standards, with three 5-story buildings containing 440 cells.

According to city hall, each cell can accommodate up to 20 inmates and includes proper ventilation, water supply, lighting, electric fans and bathroom facilities.

The new facility also includes dedicated spaces for visitation, basketball recreation and time in the sun for the inmates. —RUSSEL LORETO