HOUSE Deputy Speaker Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales II on Thursday pushed for the funding and creation of more modern jails to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 and overcrowding in prisons in a bid to alleviate the conditions of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in the country.
“In these trying times, we are hoping that Congress will also shed light on the needs of our fellow Filipinos who have been deprived of liberty. PDLs also deserve humane and safe facilities especially now that we are in a pandemic,” Gonzales said.
“Last Tuesday, July 27, together with local officials and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, we witnessed the inauguration of the first fully automated, modern and state-of-the-art eight-story city jail in Mandaluyong. We hope that more of these facilities will be funded under the next year’s national budget,” he added.
The Mandaluyong City Lone District representative also underscored the importance of building better facilities to lessen the spread of diseases in jails. A Human Rights Watch report in 2020 cited that 467 jails nationwide were at 534 percent of capacity in March of the same year based on BJMP records, while Bureau of Corrections records showed that the congestion rate in its 125 prisons was 310 percent in January 2020.
“Marapat din nating mapagtuunan ng pansin ang kalagayan ng ating mga kababayang nakapiit sa kulungan, na marami sa kanila ay nagkamali o nagkasala man, dahil sa matinding kahirapan. Ang bagong city jail na ito ay siguradong masu-solusyunan ang kadalasang problema ng overcrowding sa mga city jails, kaya’t madalas ay nagkakahawaan ng mga pigsa at mga skin disease at iba-ibang mga sakit ang mga inmates,” Gonzales said.
“Ngayon namang panahon ng COVID19, huwag naman sana mangyari na magkahawaan… Ngunit kung mayroon man pangyayaring ganito… ay may sapat na lugar o selda na dahil sa laki ng aming bagong city jail, na maaaring maihiwalay ang mga magpa-positive na inmates, sa kabuuan ng mga nakakulong,” he added.
The new city jail in Mandaluyong worth P515-million was first proposed by Mandaluyong Congresswoman Queenie Gonzales in 2018 and pursued by Deputy Speaker Gonzales. The facility boasts of an energy-efficient design, a “sunning area” on the roof deck, a basketball court, and a state-of-the-art kitchen and laundry facilities.
“We see this facility as the solution to the perennial problem of congestion in our jails in Mandaluyong because the old BJMP building has the capacity of around 170 PDLs but it currently houses over 700 inmates,” said Gonzales.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar led the inauguration as part of the Duterte administration’s BUILD, BUILD, BUILD program. Mayor Menchie Abalos, Vice-Mayor Anthony Suva, other councilors and captains of the city also graced the event. NCRPO Chief Police Major General Vic Danao, Deputy Chief for Admin ng BJMP Ruel Rivera, PNP Police Director Matthew Baccay, Mandaluyong Police Chief Police Colonel Mel Unos and DILG Usec. Rico Judge Echiverri were also present last Tuesday.