BJMP facilities congestion rate down to 367% from 600% –spox

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said Sunday that the congestion rate as to the number persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) per cell in its facilities has gone down to 367% from 600%.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, BJMP spokesperson Jail Chief Inspector Jayrex Bustinera said that around 126,000 PDLs are currently cramped inside its 478 jail facilities nationwide.

He, however, pointed out that the 367% congestion rate was already a big decline from the 600% recorded in 2018 at the height of the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“[Dati], anim sa espasyo ng pang-isa. Ngayon, nasa [three to four] na lang ang congestion rate natin so nasa tatlo hanggang apat sa espasyo ng isa. Napababa na po natin,” he added.

(Before, there were six PDLs in a space supposedly for one. Now, our congestion rate is only at 367%, so there are three to four PDLs in the space of one. We have already decreased the number.)

To address this issue, Bustinera said the BJMP is repairing and building larger jail facilities. He also underscored the importance of support from the local government units in order for the BJMP to establish new ones. —LBG, GMA Integrated News