DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said most of the female inmates or persons deprived with liberty (PDL) at the Davao City Female Jail (DCFJ) are facing illegal drug cases, particularly in violation of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
In its report, BJMP said 80 percent of the female inmates in said facility face illegal drug cases while the remaining 20 percent are facing criminal charges of rape, theft, and estafa.
There are 369 female inmates housed in the said facility, said JO1 Michelle Yian of BJMP Davao.
She added that there were 19 previous female inmates released through plea bargaining.
Yian also reported that the facility is now at 86.2% congestion rate but they expect to address this with the addition of a new building under a congressional fund.
The Php40 million worth 3-story building is now at 70% completion and expected to function within the year, Jail Inspector Sweeety Jel Roullo told reporters.
The new facility will have 20 cells, Roullo added.
Meanwhile, the BJMP in Davao is inviting the public on its 12-day “Obra sa Paglaum” Exhibit aimed to provide more assistance to the inmates.
The exhibit is in line with the 8th Community Relation Service Month celebration with the theme “Magbantay, Mag Ugnay, Magmalasakit”.
The venue of the exhibit is at the Felcris Centrale from June 22 to July 4, 2019, that will showcase handmade arts and crafts of inmates made from soft twine, beads, epoxy, and recycled cardboards.
The arts and crafts would include handmade bags, coin purse, key chains, bonsai, and coin banks.
There will also be an exhibit of paintings of acrylic on canvass.
The family of the artists or the artists themselves will directly benefit from the proceeds of the exhibit, Roullo said.
According to Roullo, Yvette Tan, one of the service providers of the female inmates at the facility provided the training for bag crafting.
“This is for the PDLs to generate income and sustain their support to their families, and for the continuity of their livelihood,” Roullo said.
“This will be a great help to their families especially that they are the ones supporting their families outside,” Yian added.
According to Roullo, this is the third time they will conduct an arts and crafts exhibit within the past three years.
In the previous year, they collected P10, 000 in a five-day exhibit and they expect to earn more this year given the longer exhibit period. (davaotoday.com)
