ILOILO City – The city government has purchased a two-hectare property in Barangay Buntatala, Leganes, Iloilo where a bigger jail for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) will be built.
A new regional office of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) will also be erected there, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
At present, BJMP operates its male PDL dormitory in Barangay Ungka, Jaro district and its female PDL dormitory at the Iloilo City Police Office compound.
Treñas said the new location will give PDLs a more conducive space to rehabilitate.
“Kaluluoy man sa ila kay kagutok gid, so, isaylo ta sila. Two hectares, so daku gawa kag maka farming pa sila,” said Treñas.
The city government is also planning to put up a livelihood training facility for the PDLs in the proposed new jail location.
The lot was donated by the city government to the BJMP immediately after signing the deed of sale.
Treñas said he had talked to Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos for the needed funding.
Iloilo City’s Rep. Julienne Baronda also vowed to help in funding the project.
Upon the request of Leganes mayor Vicente “Junjun” Jaen II, Uswag Ilonggo partylist’s Rep. Jojo Ang and Iloilo 2nd District’s Rep. Mike Gorriceta facilitated the funding for the access road to the area amounting to P28 million.
“Hopefully they will be able to start working on that next year,” said Treñas.
Meanwhile, the property that will be vacated by the BJMP in Barangay Ungka, Jaro will be sold by the city government, according to the mayor./PN
