By Evangeline Adalid, Davao Today Intern
DAVAO CITY – The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)’s new city jail warden lamented the congested state of Davao city jail.
During his presentation at the Davao City Council, Superintendent Jonathan Ignacio Lavapie said Davao City jail is composed of 2,525 inmates with a total jail capacity of 383. He said Maa city jail is suffering 659 percent congestion.
Lavapie was designated as the new city jail warden as the turn over of heads of the BJMP happened last December 18, 2015.
Lavapie replaced the position of former Jail’s Superintendent Simeon Dolojo Jr., who was promoted as the New Assistant Regional Director of Administration.
“We tend to ease at least a little of their sufferings inside the jail and conduct more activities, religious and livelihood activities as well,” Lavapie said.
He added that they have 2,077 non-Muslim and 448 Muslims detainees presently detained in Davao City jail.
Lavapie said there are 1,400 registered voters out of the 2,525 detainees.
He said the city also has 11 high-profile inmates, including drug lords and leaders of syndicates.
Lavapie said the high-profile inmates include local government officials, employees, vice mayors, councilors of various barangays in town, members of the Philippine National Police and the Army.
“Wala po tayong ligtas dyan and so far wala pa rin pong nakakulong na BJMP (No one is spared and so far we have no BJMP personnel who is detained),” he said.
Lavapie also said that 70 percent of detainees in Davao City jail are involved in drug-related cases.
Lavapie said he will do his best “to make it zero in drugs, zero in any contraband, any illegal item inside, such as cellphones, wines and cigarettes in adherence to the city ordinance [banning] smoking in the city.”
He said that in the local market, a cigarette cost P4, but in city jail they can buy it for P100 each.
Lavapie said it is the result of his strict implementation of banning cigarettes inside the city jail.
“Ibig sabihin wala nang halos sigarilyo na umiikot sa loob nagmamahal na siya (It means there is no more cigarette circulating inside that’s why the price is very high),” he said.(davaotoday.com)
