Jailhouse sleep disorder

The lack of space in detention cells at police precincts has forced inmates to sleep while they are standing, a top police official said yesterday.

Chief Superintendent Napoleon Castro, Central Police District director, in his report to Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the increase in the number of detainees, mostly caught for selling or using illegal drugs, has resulted in overcrowding in detention cells.

Castro told Belmonte that a detention cell at police precincts, which can only accommodate at least eight to 10 detainees, are holding at times some 30 persons.

The lack of space has forced prisoners to practically sleep on their feet "Natutulog sila, sir, habang nakatayo," he said.

To address the space problem, Castro said has requested courts which has jurisdiction over the cases of the detainees to issue commitment orders so that they can be send to city or district jails while awaiting trial.

Castro said most of the inmates are facing illegal drug charges which is now considered a capital offense after the new Dangerous Drug Law was approved.

Under the law, possession of the prohibited drugs is now a non-bailable offense. – Persues Echeminada