Drugs, murder top region's crime spree
Thirty-nine jails throughout Western Visayas have more than just inmates and prisoners in common. With an ideal ratio of one jail guard to seven under his/her watch, the current custodial force of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) functions to an average of one jail guard to twenty inmates.
The grim scenario holds true as The News Today (TNT) got hold of the "3rd Quarter Performance Report" of the 6th BJMP where a total of 4,004 inmates were committed to BJMP custody.
Iloilo City District Jail holds the topmost position with the most number in jail population in the months of July, August and September alone in an average of 683. Bacolod City District Jail comes next with 569.
On a brighter note though, TNT gathered from Senior Inspector Gilbert Peremne how same period boasts of "zero-escape" and "Zero-jail related incidence," even if all provinces report the need for more manpower in its jail security.
When classified, TNT learned that of the total inmates under the BJMP watch, "regular detainees" comprised most of the group while only some 5% or about 259 were "sentenced." Added to such is yet another classification on the age bracket where adult offenders comprised over 3,700 of the group committed and only about 32 throughout the region were minors.
Drug charges top the list of crimes committed numbering 1,331 this quarter followed by murder cases recorded at 810. Other crimes making it in top five are theft, homicide and rape.
By province though, jail population is lowest in Antique with 98 inmates in custody while Negros Occidental has the most with 2,175 on record.