Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Monday expressed optimism that the perennial problem of overcrowding in jails across the country would soon be resolved once a national jail decongestion summit pushes through
Abalos issued the statement after the high-level meeting was proposed following the visit of Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo’s visit to the Pasay City Jail on Oct. 29, in observance of the National Correctional Consciousness Week.
Gesmundo said the summit will be participated in by major stakeholders and players led by the SC, the DILG and its attached agency, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Abalos described the summit as a “significant step towards addressing the persistent issue of jail congestion in the country.”
He also sees it as an opportunity for all stakeholders to come together and chart a course towards more effective, humane, and equitable incarceration practices that could lead to meaningful and lasting reforms.
“Our department sincerely appreciates the Supreme Court’s commitment to helping us address and reform the conditions of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs). It is a significant move towards achieving a fair and just criminal justice system,” Abalos said in a statement.
Meanwhile, BJMP chief Ruel Rivera emphasized the urgency of addressing jail congestion, noting the bureau’s continuing efforts to address the situation.
“In 2018, our facilities were operating at an alarming congestion rate of 600 percent, posing serious challenges to the well-being and reformation of PDL. Today, we are proud to report that we have successfully reduced the congestion rate to 351 percent in 2023, thanks to various innovative programs and collaborations,” he added.
The ongoing initiatives by the BJMP include the establishment of additional jail facilities, the enhancement of the PDL Welfare and Development Program, and the enhancement of Jail Paralegal Programs that assist inmates in the speedy disposition of their cases.
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Meanwhile, the BJMP said it will not extend preferential treatment to three detainees who won in the recent barangay elections.