Rows of container vans. | CDN file photo
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines – Container vans are being eyed by Mandaue City as a temporary extension of its custodial facilities to decongest swarmed detention cells in its police stations.
City Councilor Oscar Del Castillo, chairman of the Committee on Police, Fire, and Penology, said that this plan is likely to push through.
Castillo said they only needed to make sure that the container vans would be well-ventilated.
The councilor said that these would not only be for Centro Police Station but for the other congested police stations. The Mandaue City Police Office has six stations.
Last week, a Person Under Police Custody (PUPC) at Centro Police Station died. The station had about 70 PUPCs.
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However, the facility was already cleaned up and the PUPCs were made to undergo medical check-ups.
“Kay daghan kaayo sila. Ikatag lang nato sila kay para dili ma kuan (maglisod), kay nangabot ng mga sakit. Naburo na ang nawng sa mga priso tungod sa kainit,” said Del Castillo.
A few inmates, remained at the police stations as they cannot be transferred yet to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology pending the issuance of a commitment order.
For his part, Mayor Jonas Cortes said that the city will allocate a budget next year for the extension of custodial facilities in police stations.
“Ang kato expansion sa detention cell. Usa pod na sa atoang idiscuss (container van) pero konsultaon sad nato atoa kapulisan,” said Cortes.
Container vans have proven to have other uses other than as storage facilities during the shipment of goods, food, and other commodities.
In Cebu City, container vans are being used as temporary living quarters for out-of-town devotees of the Sto. Nino during the Sinulog and Fiesta Senor celebrations every January.
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