CEBU, Philippines - Capitol consultant on jail matters, lawyer Jose Ma. Gastardo, confirmed the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) is “overbooked.”
Gastardo made the confirmation following the concern of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) that high profile detainees from the municipal jails cannot be transferred to CPDRC because it is already full.
He said the CPDRC has a capacity of 1,200 inmates but is currently accommodating almost 1,600 inmates.
Gastardo instead challenged the local government units to help address the problem by sharing the responsibility of maintaining peace and order in the province.
“The local government units should also help to address that concern by putting up a detention facility sa ilang kalungsuran (in their towns),” Gastardo told reporters yesterday.
Gastardo said it would be easier to transport inmates during hearing of cases in courts of their jurisdiction.
He cited instances of CPDRC inmates whose cases are being heard in court in Argao or in Toledo City in which the provincial government is spending for their food and transportation as well as the jail guards to escort them.
Gastardo said the LGUs can request assistance from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in the establishment of municipal jails.
The inmates who escaped from municipal jail in Tuburan were set for transfer to CPDRC but were delayed because the facility is full.
“Don’t fault us for something beyond our control, we are trying to book as much as we could,” Gastardo added.
With this, Cebu Provincial Police Office director Patrocinio Comendador is concerned over where some detainees will be jailed since most of their detention cells are also experiencing congestion due to the increase of arrests.
Police have been rigidly following the orders of Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Nicanor Bartolome over the strict implementation of the “One strike and no take” policy of the national police on illegal gambling.
Comendador said they cannot just stop arresting those who are involved in illegal gambling because of overpopulated detention cells or else appropriate sanctions await them.
“Kami man pud ang maigo kung muhunong mi sa dakop pero mao lagi ang uban stations times two na ang capacity sa detention cells. (We will also face sanctions if we stop arresting criminals but detention cells of some police stations are also filled beyond their capacity),” Comendador said.
Police stations in the fourth district which include Tabuelan, San Remigio, Medellin, Daanbantayan, Madredijos, Santa Fe, Bantayan, Bogo City, and Tabogon, no longer have problems of over their detainees because of the newly-established Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Barangay Caputatan Sur, Medellin.
Of the 50 police stations in Cebu province, Comendador has identified 10 congested detention cells which include police stations of Argao, Badian, Dumanjug, Balamban, Tuburan, Bogo City, Tabogon, Borbon, Liloan, and San Francisco.
Eight police stations are also identified to have no detention cells for women which include the police stations of Minglanilla, Naga City, Alegria, Balamban, Tuburan, Tabuelan, Bantayan, and Tabogon.
Comendador explained that detainees involved in heinous crimes and facing charges for illegal drugs are supposed to be remanded to the provincial jail.
“Adto na unta na sila sa provincial jail but puno na man wala mi mahimo di man sad pwede nga amo nang buhian. (They are supposed to be detained at the provincial jail but since it’s also full, we have no choice),” Comendador said. — (FREEMAN)