Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo pays a visit to the PDLs situated in the Pasay City Jail following the observance of the 28th National Correctional Consciousness Week. (Photo Courtesy: Supreme Court PH)
QUEZON CITY, (PIA) – The Supreme Court (SC) of the Philippines will spearhead a National Jail Decongestion Summit aimed at addressing the overcrowded prison conditions facing the persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in the country.
The summit will be jointly organized by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) together with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) as the lead agencies at the forefront of securing an efficient justice system.
“Here, the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government shall collaborate to identify the root causes of prolonged detention in jails, which contribute to prison overcrowding,” said Chief Justice (CJ) Alexander Gesmundo.
“We aim to establish new policies and initiatives that shall expedite the processing of criminal cases and alleviate jail congestion,” he further emphasized.
In line with the celebration of the 28th National Correctional Consciousness Week (NACOCOW), CJ Gesmundo personally conducted a visit to the Pasay City Jail to determine the actual conditions of PDLs as well as the detention facilities towards the development of effective program interventions.
DILG Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. stressed the importance of the said initiative in formulating equitable sentencing and jail management practices to enable a more humane safekeeping of PDLs.
“Our department sincerely appreciates the Supreme Court’s commitment to help us address and reform the conditions of persons deprived of liberty. It is a significant move towards achieving a fair and just criminal justice system. The DILG stands ready to collaborate and contribute to this important initiative,” said Abalos.
BJMP Director Ruel Rivera meanwhile reported the significant leap in resolving jail congestion in the country from a rate of 600% in 2018 to 351% in 2023.
Other initiatives of the BJMP to cater to the welfare of PDLs include the continuous enhancement of the Jail Paralegal Programs which provide assistance to inmates for the speedy disposition of their cases.
The BJMP also seeks to establish more jail facilities alongside the enhancement of the PDL Welfare and Development Program.
On the other hand, the SC is strongly advocating for the imposition of lower bail amounts to indigent accused individuals towards expediting the release of qualified PDLs and their reintegration to community.
In addition, the SC gave an immediate directive to trial courts to prioritize the disposition of criminal cases which will also aid the integrity of the justice system. (SC/DILG/PIA-NCR)
