New facilities are being sought for the Puerto Princesa City Jail (PPCJ) as the city government bids to decongest its detention cells.
Filly Erika A. Argueza, community relations officer of the PPCJ, said Wednesday that the 220-holding capacity of the city jail now houses 479 persons deprived of liberty (PDL), citing the importance of acquiring a new property to decongest the prison facilities.
“Our decongestion rate is around 114% na, at malaki ang pangangailangan namin na magkaroon ng bagong area. The ideal plan is a 1.5-hectare facility that may house more than 500 PDLs,” she said.
Lawyer Arnel Pedrosa, the city administrator, said Tuesday that the PPCJ, currently located along the national highway in Barangay Tiniguiban, was “inappropriately placed” pointing out the crowded residential area and schools surrounding it
“Matagal na namin itong nire-request dahil hindi appropriate na may schools at residential area [malapit] doon. Hindi na akma kaya plano naming ilipat sa Iwahig area,” he said.
Some five-hectare land area in Barangay Iwahig is being lobbied by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in hopes of decongesting detention facilities.
The City Council Resolution No. 75-2020, upon its Council nod, will be forwarded to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for its subsequent approval.
The enacting power will be enforced by President Duterte through a Presidential Proclamation, allocating funds that may be shared between the national and the local government unit.
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