ILOILO City – A total of 233 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Iloilo City District Jail (ICDJ) Female Dormitory benefitted from the traditional gift-giving activity of the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps (ICHPC) yesterday.
Each female inmate received a gift pack of hygiene kit which consists of sanitary pad, toothbrush and bath soap.
Spearheaded by Runelyn Jamolo of DyLL Radyo Pilipinas, the ICHPC also donated an amplifier for the use of female PDLs in their activities.
The PDLs were also served with arroz caldo and bread courtesy of the Philippine Red Cross.
“PDLs need the care of the community. This year the beat reporter-members of the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps take time to give love to PDLs in the ladies’ dormitory as they wait for the decision of the courts in their respective cases,” said Jamolo.
The ICHPC gift-giving to PDLs every December started in 2001. Sponsors this year included SM City Iloilo, Panay Electric Company, More Electric and Power Corp., Global Business Power, and Philippine Red Cross-Iloilo.
At last year’s gift-giving, aside from gift packs the press corps also donated 50 chairs.
At 223, this year the number of inmates at the ICDJ Female Dormitory is higher than last year’s. With 133 square meters of space, the facility is actually overcrowded.
Jail Senior Inspector Charyll Jamolo, ICDJ Female Dormitory warden, said 93 percent of the inmates have drug-related cases; the rest face theft and estafa charges.
The ICDJ Female Dormitory is right at the heart of the city, tucked away in the compound of the Iloilo City Police Office along the busy General Luna Street, right across the University of San Agustin. It was built for 28 inmates.
When the number of drug crime detainees racked up after Congress passed a comprehensive law against dangerous substances – and, more recently, when the Duterte administration launched a fatal crackdown on drugs – many jails across the country, including this one, got overcrowded./PN
