After approximately four years of construction, the New Quezon City Jail facility located in Barangay Payatas, Quezon City was officially transferred to the supervision of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) today (March 29).
According to QC Warden Michelle Ng-Bonto, the new facility that can accommodate at least 6,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) would help decongest the current male dormitory at the corner of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and Kamias Road, where over 3,000 PDLs are housed.
“Imagine mula sa dating 1,217% congestion rate sa lumang jail, ito ay magiging negative na pag na-okupa (occupy) natin ‘tong building na ‘to,” BJMP Chief J/Dir Allan Rial said.
The inmates will soon be transferred to the new facility pending the completion of the perimeter fencing.
The 440 cells measuring 47 square meters equipped with two toilets and one sink can hold 10 PDLs each. An elevator is also provided for persons with disability, as well as a livelihood area, sports area, classrooms, and other recreational activities for PDLs.
“Hopefully when they move here, my dream is magkakaroon sila ng lugar kung saan sila puwede mag-exercise, their physical needs will be addressed. May magandang lugar kung saan sila puwedeng bisitahin ng kanilang minamahal,” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said in the turnover ceremony.
The new Quezon City Jail is one of the biggest jail facilities in the country with a construction cost of P1.4 billion.
Meanwhile, the BJMP has reported zero cases of COVID-19 among inmates, while around 2,000 are still unvaccinated.
“Last week po nagbigay po ang DOH-NCR [Department of Health- National Capital Region] ng 1,200 doses ng Moderna vaccines for the PDL, so ‘yung 2,000 mababawasan po ng 1,000 ‘yun,” BJMP-National Capital Region J/Dir Luisito Muñoz said. –Report from Mark Fetalco/VC-ag
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