La Trinidad jail full; Rehab center pushed

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- More arrests the coming months will congest the municipal jail here, according to Senior Jail Officer 4 John Melecio.

He said increase of arrests caused 300 percent congestion, with almost half drug related cases.

Melecio said maximum capacity of the cells is for 12 inmates but 55 are now cramped in each cell.

JO2 Ronnie Julian said congestion could have been avoided if a drug rehabilitation center is in place for drug related cases.

“Cases of inmates take a long time to be resolved and more are being committed inside the jail rather than those being freed,” added Julian.

The district jail also lacks personnel. Ideally, a jail officer should be assigned to seven inmates during hearings but because of congestion, jail personnel often escort more than seven.

Earlier, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Benguet asked La Trinidad officials for a lot for construction of a municipal jail.

Under the proposal, the BJMP asked a 3,000 square meter lot to house the municipal jail that will house inmates’ cells, administration office, kitchen, clinic, recreation/livelihood area, and barracks of the personnel.

The bigger land area is expected to provide enough space for the development programs of the jail bureau including skills training, seminars, livelihood, health, sports, and other activities geared towards personality enhancement and self-reliance.