THE Quezon City government and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology entered on Monday into a deed of usufruct to allow the transfer of the Quezon City jail from Barangay Kamuning to Barangay Payatas.
The deal will jump-start the construction of a new jail facility that could accommodate over 6,600 inmates.
“The city government is offering the BJMP the use of 2.4 hectares of the 3.4-hectare property to house a new city jail,” Mayor Herbert Bautista said. “I have been authorized by the city council through Resolution Sangguniang Panlungsod 6652 of 2015 to sign, execute and deliver the deed of usufruct in behalf of the city.”
The memorandum of agreement for the donation of the lot for the proposed relocation of Quezon City Jail was signed by Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno; Chief Supt. Serafin Barretto Jr, chief, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology; Chief Supt. Michael Vidamo Sr, regional director, BJMP-National Capital Region; and Quezon City officials headed by Bautista.
A P130-million three-hectare land between Baranggay Payatas and Baranggay Bagong Silangan will be the site of the new Quezon City Jail.
Under the arrangement, the BJMP may use the city’s 2.4-hectare lot for 25 years, he said, adding they may renew the contract for another 25 years.
“The city government retains the ownership of the property,” Bautista stressed.
The city government, however, said in case of non-renewal or expiration of the contract, it shall cause the jail’s relocation to another site upon a written request of jail officials.
The BJMP is given six months to transfer the inmates upon the facility’s completion.
In 2012, the Department of Interior and Local Government allocated P200 million in the budget of BJMP for the construction of a five-story Quezon City jail in Barangay Payatas.
But the budget allocation was reverted due to the delay in the project implementation.
Chief Supt. Michael Vidamo, BJMP-National Capital Region director, said the project cost could go up to as high as P300 million “nowadays.”
Originally built 60 years ago, the Quezon City jail can house just 800 inmates.
To date, it has about 3,959 detainees.
The jail’s congestion rate is 1,276 percent.
The city government acquired the 3.4-hectare property for P134 million from MS Florendo & Sons Inc. in April 2014.