Gov’t building jails, applying GCTA to reduce congested jails

January 30, 2020

Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano on Thursday said they are seeking to decrease congestion in jails by building more facilities and applying the Good Conduct and Time Allowance ( GCTA)  to 200 percent by the end of 2020.

Ano made the statement after International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) country head Boris Michel in the same forum said the Philippines is the highest in the world in terms of jail congestion.

“Last year, we have about 600 percent congestion rate now we have about 400 percent. By the end of the year, we will be able to reduce it to about 200 percent and by next year probably zero percent,” Ano said during his speech at Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) Prospects Forum in Makati.

In an interview with reporters, Ano said there will be 10 more jail facilities by the end of the year that will help them in reaching their target.

“There will be more jails and with the application of the GCTA (Good Conduct and Time Allowance) and plea bargaining agreement we are able to reduce the congestion. So by next year we are now okay,” he said.

A total of 130,000 are detained in Bureau of Jail and Management Penology (BJMP) while 50,000 are at the Bureau of Corrections.  

“This is a reality and not criticism… this is an issue not only in the Philippines but in the whole Asia Pacific,” Michel said.

Michel then thanked Ano for their efforts in addressing this issue.

“It is important that we tackle the issues in detention… and try to find solutions together,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS