MANILA JAIL OVERCROWDING BLAMED FOR SICK INMATES

Officials of the Manila City Jail (MCJ) yesterday sought the assistance of
the health and interior departments to solve the overcrowding at the MCJ,
one of the causes of the outbreak of skin diseases.

Senior Supt. Norvel Mingoa, MCJ warden, said he personally asked the
assistance of the Department of Health to provide medicines for inmates
suffering from chicken pox, measles, asthma and tuberculosis.

Mingo blamed overcrowding as one of the causes of the skin problems
afflicting the prisoners.

He said the MCJ population has tripled in the last two years.

According to Mingo, the MCJa TMs infirmary section could no longer accept
sick inmates because of the lack of medical equipment.

Officials fear of another outbreak of diseases when the rainy season begins
in June.

Jail officials said the MCJ can only hold a maximum of 1,000 inmates, but
its population at present is 3,000.

Undersecretary Wencelito Andanar, DILG officer for peace and order, said
the DILG and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) had actually
built a new jail facility in Bicutan, Taguig to transfer some inmates from
the MCJ.

Andanar said the residents of Bicutan, however, filed a petition in court
to stop the planned transfer of inmates.

JFred Sanchez, DILG action officer for jail matters, said another measure
the DILG is doing is to speed up the transfer of convicted criminals to the
Bureau .of Corrections and remove inmates who already served the maximum
number of jail sentence at the MCJ.