MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology on Tuesday held the inaugural blessing of its new detention facility in Mandaluyong that is seen to bring down congestion rate.
In a statement, the BJMP announced the inauguration of the P515-million New Mandaluyong City Jail in Maysilo Circle, Barangay Plainview, Mandaluyong City.
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“The construction of this nine-storey facility with 24 detention cells tremendously reduced the congestion rate from 722% to -835% thus, achieving a zero-congestion rate,” it said.
It added that the 758 male and 101 female Persons Deprived of Liberty, currently detained in Mandaluyong City Jail-Male and Female Dormitories shall now be transferred to the new detention facility.
Mandaluyong Mayor Menchie Abalos also attended the event. She added in a separate Facebook post that the new jail facility “is the most modern in the Philippines and deemed as ‘green’ building.”
Abalos said others who attended the inauguration are Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Rep. Boyet Gonzales (Mandaluyong), Vice Mayor Anthony Suva and other local government officials.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Ricojudge Javier Echiverri, BJMP officials and police officers also attended the event.
The STAR reported in September 2019 that the BJMP recorded a 394% congestion rate following the release of 58,000 inmates with minor criminal offenses under the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law.
Cebu City jail is the most populated detention facility with 5,805 inmates, followed by the Manila City jail with 5,441 and Quezon City Jail with 3,627 detainees.
The US State Department flagged the “harsh and life-threatening prison conditions” in the country in its report on human rights practices in the Philippines. It noted that the government initiated an early lockdown in these facilities and inmates were freed too, but the coronavirus still infected hundreds of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in prisons and jails. — Kristine Joy Patag