Cebu City Jail Male Dormitory
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Like Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, the jail warden of the Cebu City Jail Male Dormitory also hopes for a Singapore-like jail facility for the city.
“Siguro pag nagkaroon ng pagkakataon, pwede ko rin i lay down kung papayagan niya yung Singapore-like jail kasi kasama yun eh. BJMP kasama sa sa five pillars ng criminal justice system, which is corrections,” said Jail Superintendent Metz Milton Placencia, the city jail’s new warden.
A Singapore-like jail facility, according to him, will be based on the United Nations Standards for Treating Prisoners where every prisoner should have at least 4.7 square meters of space individually. To achieve this, the city jail must at least have six to ten hectares.
The Cebu City Jail in Barangay Kalunasan which was built to accommodate 2,000 individuals now has around 6,000 occupants. Congestion, according to him is the top concern in their facility.
“Congestion is being addressed through legal means. Ito yung expiditing the disposition of cases of our PDL, mapadali ang kanilang paglabas, makapagpyansa, whatever legal aspect na pwede makatulong,” he added.
Placencia said that the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has options to address congestion –first, construction of the new building and second, expansion. However, for him, neither of these two options is applicable at the city jail since the facility only sits on a 2,300-square-meter property.
“It will address majority of the concerns pag mabigyan kami ng enough space. Ibig sabihin, in my own opinion, relocation will be the best option for the Cebu City Jail, both male and female dormitory. Sa United Nation Standard sa treatment ng prisoner, dapat ang isang PDL ay hindi kumakain sa kamay niya,” Placencia said.
Placencia said he shares the dream of Mayor Michael Rama of having a Singapore-like city by also having a Singapore-life jail facility for them to also be able to deliver quality service to persons deprived of their liberty.
“Kapag mabibigyan kami ng ideal facility, siguro mawawalan na rin kami ng alibi don sa mga binabato sa amin kung paano nakakapasok yung kontrabando, paano nagkakaron ng violations. Give us this ideal facility, we can also deliver ideal services. Sa ngayon, medyo alanganin talaga,” he concluded. /rcg
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