President Duterte To Install TV Screens In All Camp Bagong Diwa Jail Cells This October

President Rodrigo Duterte plans to install television screens in each detention cell in the Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City in an effort to provide inmates a “form of entertainment.”

President Duterte announced his plan Wednesday, October 18, during his talk to the personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) after his visit to the jails located inside the camp.

It was President Duterte’s first visit at the jail since he became President.

BJMP jails inside Camp Bagong Diwa include Special Intensive Care Areas 1 and 2; the Metro Manila District Jail (MMDJ); MMDJ Annexes 1, 2, and 3; Manila City Jail Annex; Quezon City Jail Annex; and the Taguig Jail Male and Female Dormitories.

President Duterte said he was satisfied with the situation of the inmates who seemed to be “comfortable” because of “clean” detention bars, thus he wants the television screens in each cell installed by end of October.

“One is that I came to just observe. I’m monitoring the situation in the detention cell and they (prisoners) look fine. And I’m happy and of course, we would want to give them everything so I told them, each and every cell would have a TV by the end of the month. That’s all I can give for now,” the President said in his speech.

“In terms of equipment, it will go first. Aside from the TV for each room, I pity the inmates because there’s no form of entertainment. But they are good at the handicraft because they have nothing to do,” he added.

In some detention facilities, a television screen is installed in hallways but not in each cell.

BJMP spokesperson Jail Senior Inspector Xavier Solda said around 6,274 currently detained in BJMP jails in Taguig City.

Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, Maute matriarch Farhana Maute, and other suspects in Maguindanao massacre were among the high-profile inmates currently detained in Camp Bagong Diwa.

Solda said President Duterte inspected MMDJ Annexes 1, 2, and 3 but was unable to meet the mother of slain terrorist Omar Maute.

He added that the President pledged to build another jail facility beside or at the back of the Special Action Force building by next year.

President Duterte praised the BJMP personnel over good management of detention facilities.

“I would like to congratulate your fellow [BJMP personnel] for a job well done so far,” he said.

“And maybe if you need an upgrade on your security apparatus, you will have it. I assure you next year, if God will allow it. The economy is improving and we expect to collect more taxes, more to spend for government need,” he added.

Watch the video report below via UNTV:

Source: SunStar Philippines