Maasin willing to donate lot for new city jail, says BJMP

By BONG PEDALINO, PIA Southern Leyte
October 8, 2011

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  The city local government unit is willing to partake of a reclaimed lot within city to be used as the site for a new city jail.

This was learned from Eleuterio Ortiz, Provincial Head and concurrent City Warden of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

At the weekly “Media Forum” Wednesday where he was the guest live at dyDM, Ortiz quoted City Mayor Maloney Samaco as saying the new prison facility can be located at the reclamation area in barangay Combado, this city.

The new structure will be a two-storey building, but details on specific area or how much would be the cost-sharing between the BJMP and the city government for the project are still unknown as of the moment.

How soon such a project can start in its construction stage was also another unknown factor, even as Ortiz hoped it can be realized sooner than later.

Ortiz earlier disclosed a resolution passed by the city council that called for the relocation of the city jail in barangay Bactul, a far-flung, interior barangay more than 15 kilometers from the city proper.

He said he lobbied for reconsideration of the planned Bactul site, citing as reason its far location from the authorities which could pose as an invitation for enemies of state to rescue one of their own, if ever.

The present city jail at the old municipal building in the heart of the city has been cramped and crowded, with its present population of 58 inmates, including one lady, in a jail capacity of only 30 prisoners, Ortiz said, adding that the edifice itself was already dilapidated and needed major repairs.