SECRETARY Benjamin Abalos Jr. of the Department of the Interior and Local Government on Monday cited the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) for facilitating the release of 74,590 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) as part of the agency’s continuing initiatives to
decongest jails throughout the country.
Abalos credited the BJMP for introducing various programs such as
legal and paralegal services to reduce overcrowding in jail facilities nationwide.
“The overcrowding in January was 281 percent, now it appears at 238 percent so we are reducing it a lot and we will work on it more,” he said.
Abalos also pushed the introduction of comprehensive programs that would convince inmates to reform and become more productive members of society to achieve long-term solutions to jail decongestion.
Abalos pointed out that instead of constructing more jail facilities, the BJMP should take steps towards full reformation of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) to give them a second chance in life.
“The solution is not to build a new jail; the right solution is to prevent crime and not go back to jail,” he said.