Santiago wants inquiry into new jail scheme

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago is seeking an inquiry into the scheme being studied by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to allow some detainees to pay rent for space, food and utilities while their cases are still being heard in court.

Santiago wants to task the proper committee to determine if this scheme will also improve the country’s highly populated jail facilities.

The senator, although on sick leave, has filed resolution 259 after BJMP officials hinted the possibility of collecting rent from detainees because of the limited budget that the agency was allocated in the 2011 national budget and the increasing demand for space and basic necessities.

BJMP officials pointed out that only an estimated five percent of the detainees could afford such a payment scheme, since about 96 percent of the detainees come from poor families.

BJMP reportedly requested a budget of around P5 billion for 2011 or a 10 percent increase from its nearly P4.5-billion allocation in 2010.

Santiago quoted reports which revealed that a detainee is allocated P50 worth of meals throughout the day, and that the agency has estimated that it spends P3 million a day for food alone. 

Agency officials say that the BJMP is on the budget’s end list because it spends a lot of money with no returns.

Santiago shared the BJMP officials’ lament that the lack of funds severely hinders the agency from accomplishing its mandate, and that the dismal situation of the country’s jails might lead to charges of human rights violations because the agency cannot meets its goal of humane safekeeping.

In her resolution, the senator added that the present conditions in the country’s jails can be considered as a “form of torture,” and Congress, with its oversight on the national budget, should formulate remedies for BJMP to carry out its mandate of humane safekeeping.

BJMP denies replacement of director

The BJMP clarified yesterday that Director Rosendo Dial was not replaced as reported earlier.

BJMP spokesman Chief Inspector Roberto Gotico said rumors started circulating after President Aquino promoted Chief Superintendent Gilberto Marpuri.

“The news (about Dial’s replacement) was a surprise and not true. Director Dial has yet to finish his term as BJMP chief. If indeed he has been replaced, we have yet to receive the order,” said Gotico.

Gotico said Dial would reach the retirement age of 56 in March 2013.

“Under the law, the chief of the BJMP will only serve a maximum of four years,” Gotico added.

Gotico said Marpuri was the newest one-star general in the bureau after the President signed his promotion as chief superintendent, but not his appointment as new BJMP director.– With Cecille Suerte Felipe