BALANGA City – From the overcrowded provincial jail at the Capitol grounds, 450 inmates are set for transfer to the adjacent newly-constructed P30-million Bataan Penitentiary after its blessing Wednesday.
Gov. Enrique Garcia said there are 890 inmates at the Bataan provincial jail, one-half of whom will occupy the two-storey Bataan Penitentiary of 48 prison cells. “Malaking problema ang siksikan sa maraming kulungan sa ating bansa subalit dito sa Bataan malulutas ito upang magkaroon ng dangal ang mga taong nakakulong habang naghihintay ng kanilang sentensiya,” the governor said.
He claimed that not all those detained are guilty of the charges they face. “Dapat lamang na magkaroon sila ng makataong tirahan habang nililitis ang kanilang kaso at magkaroon sila ng pagkakataong magbago dahil sa maayos na kinalalagyan,” Garcia explained.
From more than 20 inmates per cell at the old provincial jail, only nine will occupy a bigger and well-ventilated room complete with toilet and bath. “Hindi pa naman sila nahahatulan subalit siksikan na sila at halos hindi makahinga sa dati nilang selda,” the governor said.
He said that another two-storey building of the same capacity will soon be constructed so that the remaining half of the inmates left at the old jail will be transferred. The governor asked judges, prosecutors and lawyers present to help speed up the promulgation of decision on the cases.
Executive Regional Trial Court Judge Remigio Escalada said that the call of the governor was timely. He said that judges and lawyers in Bataan will hold Wednesday a testimonial dinner for new lawyers in the province.
“We will hold a dialog with the judicial and legal community and something positive may come out of the dialog to further hasten the dispensation of justice,” the RTC judge said, adding that the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in Bataan will soon conduct seminar for police officers “to apprise them of their role in the legal community.”
Gov. Enrique Garcia said there are 890 inmates at the Bataan provincial jail, one-half of whom will occupy the two-storey Bataan Penitentiary of 48 prison cells. “Malaking problema ang siksikan sa maraming kulungan sa ating bansa subalit dito sa Bataan malulutas ito upang magkaroon ng dangal ang mga taong nakakulong habang naghihintay ng kanilang sentensiya,” the governor said.
He claimed that not all those detained are guilty of the charges they face. “Dapat lamang na magkaroon sila ng makataong tirahan habang nililitis ang kanilang kaso at magkaroon sila ng pagkakataong magbago dahil sa maayos na kinalalagyan,” Garcia explained.
From more than 20 inmates per cell at the old provincial jail, only nine will occupy a bigger and well-ventilated room complete with toilet and bath. “Hindi pa naman sila nahahatulan subalit siksikan na sila at halos hindi makahinga sa dati nilang selda,” the governor said.
He said that another two-storey building of the same capacity will soon be constructed so that the remaining half of the inmates left at the old jail will be transferred. The governor asked judges, prosecutors and lawyers present to help speed up the promulgation of decision on the cases.
Executive Regional Trial Court Judge Remigio Escalada said that the call of the governor was timely. He said that judges and lawyers in Bataan will hold Wednesday a testimonial dinner for new lawyers in the province.
“We will hold a dialog with the judicial and legal community and something positive may come out of the dialog to further hasten the dispensation of justice,” the RTC judge said, adding that the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in Bataan will soon conduct seminar for police officers “to apprise them of their role in the legal community.”
