Inmates up for release

Almost 100 detainees of Mandaue City Jail (MCJ) are set to be released after their cases were resolved through the Supreme Court’s (SC) Enhanced Justice on Wheels (Ejow) program, which visited Mandaue yesterday.

Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez and Deputy Court Administrator Jenny Lind Delorino led the activity at the Mandaue Hall of Justice yesterday. Mandaue Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Mercidita Dadole-Ygnacio formally opened the half-day program.

Marquez said they expect that cases that are terminated to make sure other pending cases will be resolved.

“If we can terminate these criminal and civil cases, they will no longer go up to our Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. That means they are out of the judicial system,” said Marquez.

As of yesterday, there were 1,840 inmates in MCJ, which was designed for 119 inmates only.

MCJ warden Jail Supt. Renante Rubio said there are inmates who have been there for 10 years now.

In Ejow, Rubio said they chose inmates who have been staying long in MCJ and have served the minimum imposable penalties, and those who have hearings that had been postponed for failure of the complainant and their legal counsel to appear in court.

Lawyer Mae Elaine Bathan, chief-of-staff of the city mayor, said the cases are delayed because of the huge of number pending cases while there is only three RTCs in the City Hall of Justice.

Today, Ejow will be in LapuLapu City.