Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon yesterday said he has directed an audit of the status of the prisoners at the Negros Occidental Provincial Jail to determine if there are inmates staying there in excess of the maximum imposable sentence.

This may enable us to further decongest the provincial jail that has about 500 inmates, Marañon said.

I have been told some of the prisoners at the NOJP have been staying there for more than 10 years, because their cases have not properly been attended to, he said.

The governor directed Provincial Jail Warden Marcos Ybañez to submit to the Provincial Legal Office the list of the names of the detainees, charges they are facing, the commencement date of their detention at the NOPJ and their total period of detention, including previous ones in other detention facilities.

Ybañez was ordered to do so within 15 working days from receipt of the order.

The University of Saint La Salle law students has offered to assist in determining the status of the prisoners, he said.

If the inmates are allowed to be released from jail, it will also mean savings on the part of the provincial government that pays for their stay there, Marañon said. Marañon is calling for the integration of the NOJP with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and is offering an alternative jail site in Bago City.*CPG

back to top