Steps to decongest jails taken

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has taken concrete steps to decongest 1,253 city and municipal jails.

BJMP disclosed this as it expressed alarm over the spiraling increase in jail populations nationwide. In the first three months of this year, the average monthly jail population was 36,000 compared to 34,998 for the same period last year, said BJMP officer-in-charge Chief Superintendent Arturo Alit.

"The number of inmates is greater than the number of inmates released. In January and February, a total of 13, 330 inmates were released while some 14,185 inmates were committed to various jails" Alit said.

He said because of the persistent increase in jail populations, BJMP has launched "Oplan Decongestion" in partnership with the Public Attorney’s Office, the Parole and Probation Administration and the Board of Pardons and Parole.

Under the program, the four government agencies coordinate in providing legal assistance in the trials of pending cases of inmates as well as in the filing of applications for probation and in obtaining their release pending trial, to speed up decongestion of municipal and city jails.

BJMP and the three other government agencies noted 85 percent of overcrowding is mainly attributed to the inability of inmates awaiting or undergoing trial to post bail or avail of legal assistance and 15 percent due to their inability to seek early release through probation, parole or executive clemency.

"Overcrowding is a major problem that aggravates the peace and order situation and gives rise to prison riots, violence or disorder. Decongestion of jails will redeem valuable resources, reduce the cost of incarceration, and contribute positively to the alleviation of the misery of inmates," they added.

Alit said of the jail population of 34,998 last year, the National Capital Region posted the biggest population of 11,528, followed by Region 4, with total inmates of 4,703; Region 7, 3369; Region 3, 2557; and Region 6, 2096.