BJMP-7 fails int'l standards

CEBU, Philippines - The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) – 7 has failed to comply with the international standards for the treatment of prisoners based on the assessment of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) – 7.

CHR-7 regional director Alejandro Alonso Jr. said jail facilities in Central Visayas have failed to meet the “minimum” requirement for the treatment of prisoners.

“Daghan gyud ang below standards, (Many are below standards.)” he said.

Based on their monitoring, Alonso said that most of the jails in CV are already cramped with prisoners which can lead to the spread of diseases.

He said stockades should be well ventilated and lighted for the comfort of the inmates.

Alonso added that there should be a constant supply of clean and potable water inside each cell, adding that comfort rooms should not be constructed within cells but be separated for hygiene purposes. 

“Ang nawagtang ra nila mao ang (What they lost is just the…) right to liberty according to due process. They still have their basic rights such as health and others,” said Alonso, stressing that these deficiencies can be considered as “maltreatment” of the inmates.

Superintendent Efren Nemeño, BJMP-7 deputy regional director for Administration, admitted to The FREEMAN that indeed, most of their jails are very cramped.

Nemeño said they only have 31 penitentiaries in CV which is clearly not enough for their 7,300 inmates.

“Congested na gyud ang atong mga jails but we are trying to decongest it by constructing more, (Our jails are really congested…)” he said.

In small facilities, Nemeño said, Danao City jail is the most congested jail in CV where cells intended for 50 are now cramped with over 200 inmates. As of the moment, BJMP-7 is set to construct a district jail in Argao town to cater to neighboring areas.

For bigger cities, Cebu City Jail is the most congested with 2,087 inmates for a facility which was originally constructed for a thousand. Talisay City Jail, however, is considered by BJMP-7 as the best penitentiary in the region. It also bested other jails in the country and has received recognition in the national level.

Another problem of the BJMP-7 is the outdated meal allowance of their inmates. For over 10 years, inmates are only given P50 per day for their three meals.

Nemeño said they have been constantly appealing for an increase from Congress but to no avail.  (FREEMAN)