Jailbreak prompts Laguna lawmaker to call for reforms

Rep. Uliran Joaquin of the first district of Laguna recently expressed concern over the most recent jailbreak in Sta. Rosa, a newly created city in her district, as she called on the officials of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in the three towns under her jurisdiction to tighten security measures in their respective detention centers and correct apparent lapses in their procedures.

This was not the first jailbreak in the first district of Laguna. It also happened in San Pedro and Biñan, thus Joaquin said it is imperative to initiate measures to avoid such breaches.

Joaquin has directed her legal staff to research on the possible integration of the three existing jails in San Pedro, Biñan and Sta. Rosa into a single yet more effective district detention center.

Joaquin said the integration of the three municipal jails may solve both short-term and long-term problems, pool the very limited budgets and manpower of the three detention centers, improve facilities and capabilities, and render the jail system more effective.

"In the meantime, integration may be the best achievable solution yet, but we will never stop searching for other better ways," Joaquin said.

She added: "In some states, prisons are privately run. They are not only cheaper but better run and subject to greater accountability than their government counterparts."