Noy hails BJMP over 60% recovery of escaped inmates

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino praised yesterday the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) for obtaining a 60 percent recovery rate of escaped inmates in 2011.

However, he urged the agency to make sure that no detainee escapes again. 

Speaking at the BJMP’s 21st anniversary celebration in Camp Crame, Aquino praised Jail Officer 1 Bonbon Pangcog for finding shabu inside a lechon being delivered to a detainee.

“This is the kind of dedication needed in the service to put an end to the old system of patronage in jails,” he said in Filipino.

Aquino said the government has put up 47 additional cells nationwide in the past two years to solve the problem of overcrowding.

“The new facilities are just right. For those officials who abuse their position, we’ve made sure there’s space for them in jail,” he added.

Aquino applauded BJMP efforts to computerize jail records under the National Inmates Monitoring System.

“In this manner it will be faster and more effective to track cases, on the length of sentence or information about the inmate. This will resolve cases of prisoners still locked up even if their sentence is finished.

“This will also put an end to manual sourcing of data, and the confusing system short of writing the name of the prisoner on tissue paper. Last June the training seminars of BJMP personnel on NIMS have been completed.”

Last February, Aquino lauded jail officers for foiling an attempt to free an inmate in Kidapawan.

CCTV

In an interview at Camp Crame, BJMP director Chief Superintendent Diony Mamaril said close circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be installed in jails nationwide to prevent escapes.

“I have instructed the setting up of CCTV in jails, particularly at the Quezon City Jail annex, where high-profile detainees like the Ampatuans are locked up,” he said.

The CCTV will have Internet connection and footage can be accessed at the BJMP headquarters in Quezon City, he added.

Mamaril said he has imposed a one-strike policy whenever an inmate or inmates escape.

The immediate superior of the jail guards will be relieved based on the doctrine of command responsibility, he added.

Mamaril said the BJMP STAR Team has been strengthened to be able to effectively recapture escapees.

“They were trained and given high-powered firearms,” he said.

Mamaril said of the 286 jail personnel placed under investigation, 173 have been charged.

Housing units

Meanwhile, Aquino said he has authorized the release of P500 million for the building of 2,000 housing units for officers of the BJMP and the Bureau of Fire Protection.

This is part of the 31,000 housing units promised under his term, he added.

Aquino said by next month, retired BJMP officers can claim their pension through ATMs.