NGO to help decongest city, provincial jails

CEBU, Philippines - A non-government organization has expressed desire to help address the decongestion problems in Cebu City and Cebu provincial jails.

Human Rights Unlimited Inc., a Cebu City-based and Security Exchange Commission-registered NGO, said it will help follow-up the inmates’ cases and facilitate their release, among others.

After learning the matter from a news report, HRU Inc. expressed its intentions to help through a letter to Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who called for legal assistance for the city jail inmates.

“(We are) working for the promotion and protection of human rights through human rights education,” said lawyer Mary Catherine Alvarez-Del Rosario, HRU Inc. program officer.

In her presentation, Alvarez-Del Rosario said their year long jail decongestion project covers the Cebu City Jail Dormitory and Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

Under the project, HRU Inc.’s lawyers will coordinate with the Public Attorney’s Office, the prosecutors and the courts in checking on the inmates’ cases and in facilitating their release.

Another salient feature of the project include regular jail visits of assigned jail congestion officers and a dialogue with the inmates with the presence of Criminal Justice System representatives.

The project also includes inmates being trained to become paralegal coordinators.

Cebu City Jail Warden Johnson Calub, during the Police Coordination and Advisory Council meeting chaired by Labella, disclosed that there are at least 2,076 cases of inmates jailed with pending court decisions or trials. He said only 186 of the inmates are convicted and jailed.

“Some inmates have no idea as to what stage their cases are, have no idea of their rights, or of criminal procedure, and whether their cases are actually bailable, even if some of them can raise money to post bail,” said Alvarez-Del Rosario.

In this regard, HRU Inc. will come in to monitor and educate paralegal concerns to help explain these things to the inmates, she added. (FREEMAN)