20/10/2025
New Quezon City Jail Ready to House Indicted Individuals in Flood-Control Scandal
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla personally inspected the newly constructed building of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)’s Quezon City Jail - Male Dormitory (QCJMD) along Payatas Road, to ensure the facility’s readiness for any possible indictments of individuals involved in the ongoing flood-control scandal.
“Gusto kong ipakita na handa ang BJMP, na handa ang mga facilities,” Remulla said, facing the media on Monday. “Hindi kami aatras sa mga obligasyon namin para gampanan ang katungkulan namin bilang in-charge sa lahat ng BJMP jails sa buong Pilipinas,” he added.
The newly built structure currently has 80 unoccupied dorms, ready to accommodate Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) as needed. Each dorm is designed to house 10 PDLs and comes equipped with one bathroom, one shower, and one toilet to ensure cleanliness and comfort. The facility also provides purified drinking water, designated areas for exercise and sunlight exposure, and regulated visitation schedules that allow families to bring cooked food to their detained relatives.
To uphold the legal rights of PDLs, the jail includes dedicated quarters for lawyer-client consultations, with ongoing construction of ten new private cubicles to ensure privacy during legal discussions.
“Wala nang overcrowding. This will be the new standard para sa lahat ng BJMP jails. Kapag nakuha na namin ang budget namin, ito ang standard na susundin namin,” Remulla said, highlighting the government’s effort to modernize and humanize jail facilities across the country.
Upholding the principle of equal treatment under the law, Remulla emphasized that no special treatment will be afforded to any PDLs regardless of status or position. “Kung ang nagnanakaw ng konting halaga at nagsa-shoplift ng lotion ay dito kinukukulong, ang nagnanakaw ng bilyon-bilyon, sa aking palagay, ay dapat na rin sila dito ilagay.”
He also clarified that the DILG has no authority to decide where the accused will be detained. “The Court has jurisdiction kung saan pwedeng ikulong ang mga accused. Hindi po kami ang magsasabi kung saan sila ilalagay. Pero ayon sa batas, kung sa Sandiganbayan ang venue ay ito na ang pinakamalapit na BJMP facility.”
“Everyone has a chance to be rehabilitated—that’s the core principle of penology. Ito lamang yung place where they will be detained during the hearings,” he said.
(DILG)