By Liza Soriano
MANILA — The proposed Jail Integration Act hurdled the third and final reading in the Senate on Monday (04 March 2024).
Logged under Senate Bill No. 2352, the measure seeks to transfer the control and supervision of the provincial and sub-provincial jails to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
The proposed measure got a vote of 19 affirmation votes, zero negative and abstention.
“By turning over the provincial and sub-provincial jails under the jurisdiction of the BJMP, we shall be giving more freedom to our provincial governments to direct their resources by their respective priorities,” Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, sponsor of the bill, said.
As for the employees and staff of provincial and sub-provincial jails, the proposed measure guarantees their security of tenure. They will be integrated into the BJMP, subject to the qualification standards outlined in Republic Act No. 9263, also known as the Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Professionalization Act of 2004.
SBN 2352 also specified that those who do not meet the qualification standards at the time of transfer will be granted a grace period of five years from the conclusion of the transition period to fulfill the requirements for their respective positions.
“The BJMP may be charged with the handling of Persons Deprived of Liberty, but it is the humble opinion of this representation, that the liberty to manage our jails must be given to them, fully and without exemption, under the law,” Dela Rosa added.
(el Amigo/MNM)