Senate OKs Jail Integration bill on final reading

The Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading a measure that seeks to transfer the management and supervision of provincial and sub-provincial jails to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Senate Bill 2352 or the proposed Jail Integration Act was approved with 19 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and zero abstention.

Currently, all provincial and sub-provincial jails are under the management of local government units.

Under the bill, the property, equipment, and finances of each local jail will likewise be transferred to the BJMP.

The proposed measure for “orderly transfer and management and operation” of the local jails provides for a three-year transition period. 

During the said period the provincial governments shall continue funding the subsistence allowance of persons deprived of liberty and the maintenance of jail facilities, including but not limited to the electric and water expenses, and necessary repairs.

Existing employees and personnel of the provincial and sub-provincial jails shall enjoy security of tenure and shall automatically be absorbed by the BJMP subject to the qualification standards set under Republic Act 9263.

Those who seek to be separated from service due to the transfer of management to BJMP shall receive separation benefits and those who are qualified to retire shall be allowed to do so.

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, principal sponsor of the measure, said the approval of the measure would benefit local jails as BJMP is implementing national programs and expertise and world-class standards.

This will likewise unload responsibilities that tend to divide the attention and the limited resources of the local government units.

“Correction and reformation take a great deal of time and expertise. As such, they should be delegated to agencies whose primary function has always been the rehabilitation of Persons Deprived of Liberty or PDLs,” Dela Rosa said.

“When there is a unified, integrated way of dealing with PDLs, then we can also set a unified and integrated vision for them. This somehow gives them the message: the entire government is looking after you,” he added.

Dela Rosa along with Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senator Ramon Revilla Jr., and Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito were named authors of the proposed Jail Integration Act.—LDF, GMA Integrated News