Senator Bato Dela Rosa is pushing for the transfer of control and supervision over provincial and sub-provincial jails to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in a bid to improve the existing penal system in the country and ensure the adequate and efficient protection of inmates.
In his Senate Bill No. 1100, Dela Rosa said the transfer of management over all the detention facilities in the country will result in a uniform and standard set of policies and guidelines in the administration of local jails. Also, it will realize the advancement of the welfare of inmates.
“Our proposed measure aims to implement a uniformed, undeviating standard in the implementation of existing policies and guidelines with regard to the administration of our detention facilities. This way, we could ensure a high probability of success in the reformation of our Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs),” the legislator said.
“The inmates are expected to undergo a reformation program.”
In a separate Act that strengthens the Bureau of Corrections (RA 10575), the inmates are expected to undergo a reformation program that will enrich them morally and spiritually; provide them with education and training, work and livelihood, sports and recreation, health and a comprehensive behavior modification program that includes a therapeutic community.
At present, local jails are under the jurisdiction of two different authorities wherein the city, municipal and district jails are under the BJMP while the provincial and sub-provincial jails are under the concerned provincial governments.
“Such set-up hinders the advancement of a national standard in the operational management of all local jails.”
Such a set-up, the lawmaker pointed out, hinders the advancement of a national standard in the operational management of all local jails which is geared towards a more effective rehabilitation of inmates.
“Our bill will amend certain provisions of Republic Act 6975 or the Department of Interior and Local Government Act of 1990… this will also help in ensuring the efficacy of our reformation programs for PDLs and an improvement in the administration of our detention facilities,” the senator explained.
Government agencies assigned to supervise and run the country’s jail facilities have been draped with controversy in the past weeks following a series of investigations that started with the alleged questionable granting of GCTA to PDLs, which then brought to the Senate’s attention other issues on alleged irregularities inside the jails.