Dispatch from Crame No. 451:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on Congested Jails and Related Ills

1/21/19

Sa kulungan ng mga babae sa Camp Karingal sa QC ay nagsisiksikang higit pa sa sardinas ang 900 detainees sa isang kwartong dapat ay para lang sa 90. Siyam (9) lamang ang banyo at isa (1) lang ang paliguan para sa lahat. Dahil bukas sa lahat at laging okupado ang mga pasilidad, ang pagtulog, pagdumi at pagligo ay mga gawaing casual na lamang para sa sinuman. Nahubaran na ng hiya at dignidad.

Sa Dorm 5 ng Manila City Jail, nagkukumpulan sa espasyong dinaig pa ang dog pound ang 518 detainees. Nakadisenyo ang kwarto para lang sa 170. Sala-salabat ang mga kamay, paa at ulo ng mga natutulog sa sahig. Ang iba naman ay pinipilit mahiga sa pinagdikit na karton sa tabi ng mapanghing inidoro.

These are mere representative samples of the true state and condition of our jails and detention cells. The facilities are more than severely congested. In fact, to claim that there is a violation of the Constitutional proscription against jails under sub-human condition is to even understate the obvious. We are in the midst of a calamity!

A recent article of the New York Times pointed out that, since 2016 from the inception of Duterte's bloody anti-drug campaign, "Philippine jails have become increasingly more packed, propelling the overall prison system to the top of the World Prison Brief's list of the most overcrowded incarceration systems in the world."

Dagdag na patunay ito na ang sinasabing "drug war" ay talagang peke at hindi naplano. Mga mahihirap lamang ang tinatarget at maliliit na tulak at adik ang pinupuntirya, samantalang pinoprotektahan ang mga drug lord, supplier at manufacturer ng droga. At ngayon ay kitang-kita pa ang kakulangan at kawalang kaayusan ng mga kulungan, ospital at rehabilitation clinics. Kung ipinagyayabang ni Duterte at ng mga alipores at panatiko nya ang diumano'y "drug war", bakit halatang-halata ang kapalpakan at kahungkagan ng kampanya nila? Namamayagpag pa rin ang mga sindikato at mga protektor nila. Pawang mahihirap ang tinatamaan. At ang mga kulungan ay lubhang siksikan. Number 1 in the entire world for over congestion. Terrible.

I appeal, most fervently, to all concerned government officials and my fellow members in Congress, to seriously consider proposed measures, including infrastructure plans, that will decisively address the issue of overcrowded jails, that not only causes innumerable indignities to the inmates, but also breeds a host of other problems like crimes, diseases and incidence of abuse and misconduct.

In my proposed Senate Resolution No. 590, I was calling for a Senate inquiry into the findings in the latest COA Report revealing the worsening state of our detention facilities. By way of concrete proposal, in Senate Bill No. 1879, I am advocating for the integration of all jails and prisons under one central authority, the expansion and regionalization of facilities, and enhanced professionalization of custodial personnel. In Senate Bill No. 2130, I am pushing for the promotion and protection of the fundamental rights and legitimate interests of all persons deprived of liberty, and the adoption of restorative justice in our penal system.

In July last year, on the occasion of the birth centenary of Nelson Mandela, I was pleading for the upliftment of the condition of the detainees, particularly those housed in overcrowded jails. I wish to reiterate some of my previous words here:

"If we are able to significantly ameliorate the situation of our inmates, who belong to one of the most marginalized segments of our people, and help improve dramatically the conditions of our jails and prisons, which are among the most neglected aspects in Philippine public administration, I strongly believe that we can confidently take care of everything and everyone else in our country, in our pursuit for a truly humane and just society."

Can the Senate and / or Bicam please consider allotting a portion of the deleted P70B budget insertions for this urgent and most imperative concern? Please...