Caloocan bares plan to decongest city jail

The Caloocan City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) has declared its plan to decongest the city jail.

Superintendent Alejandro Almacen, Caloocan City jail warden, reported that the city jail has a current population of 1,957 (1,703 male inmates, 169 females and 45 minors). He said the figure represents 234 percent of the jail’s ideal capacity of 585 inmates.

Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri said he is fully supporting the council’s plan. The mayor said a committee was created to address the problem of jail congestion and will look into the proposals and suggestions drawn up during the last meeting.

Among the proposals made by the CPOC were the construction of additional floors to the present jail buildings and the acquisition of property where a new prison facility could be built.

The council has also sought funding for the purchase of T-shirts for detainees for to use when attending court hearings. They reported that due to the lack of shirts, the detainees were reportedly "forced" to borrow from each other.

Echiverri said the committee will study and provide the necessary recommendations to help the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) deal with the problems as discussed.

The warden said some 180 inmates have been earlier released following Oplan Decongestion earlier but more, numbering some 202 new inmates, have recently and quickly taken their place.

The city jail was built in 1994 on Talimusak corner Tanigue streets in Kaunlaran Village, Dagat-dagatan, Caloocan City just across the Northern Police District Office (NPDO). Two buildings with 14 cells each were constructed in the 3,050-square meter property. — With Pete Laude