CONGESTED JAILS

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP 11) bared the top 10 congested jails in Davao region.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP 11) bared the top 10 congested jails in Davao region.

Jail Inspector Edo Lobenia, BJMP-Davao Region community relations service officer chief and spokesperson, said during the AFP-PNP press forum that due to the extensive anti-criminality and anti-illegal drug campaign of the current administration, the inmates’ population rose significantly, thus, congesting the many jail facilities in the region.

Panabo City District Jail, which has an ideal capacity of 53 with a population of 454 inmates and a congestion rate of 764 percent, led the list followed by Davao City Jail-female dormitory that could house 72 inmates but the population went up to 567 with a 691 percent congestion rate.

Digos City District Jail, which has 100 ideal capacity now with a population of 773, congestion rate 670 percent; Davao City Jail Annex

with 99 ideal capacity, population 747 and congestion rate 658 percent; Davao City Jail with 460 capacity, population 3,300, congestion rate 617 percent; and Digos City Jail District Jail – Female Dorm with 14 capacity, population 80, congestion rate 478 percent.

Meanwhile, the Montevista District Jail has an ideal capacity of 79, population 447, congestion 465 percent; Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) has 21 capacity, population 78, congestion rate 267 percent; Tagum City Jail has 100 capacity, population 315, congestion rate 214 percent; and Tagum City Jail – Female Dorm with 32 capacity, population 47, congestion rate of 47 percent.

“Whether we like it or not, we have to accept (the inmates) because there’s a commitment order coming from the court where we are mandated to detain these accused,” Lobenia said.

To address these problems, there have been efforts being carried out to decongest the jail facility such as the infrastructure projects of the government with the construction of several jail facility in the region like in Davao City Female Jails, Digos City Jail, Montevista, Davao City Annex.

SUNSTAR FOTO / MACKY LIM An ice cream vendor peddles along San Pedro Street in Davao City as preparations shift to high gear for the Kadayawan sa Dabaw festivities that will start tomorrow, Friday.

SUNSTAR FOTO/MACKY LIM FUEL SUBSIDY. A P5,000 fuel subsidy from the national government will be distributed to PUJ drivers from July to December 2018 with a budget allocation of P977 million.