In a Saturday statement, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) backed the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s (BJMP’s) appeal for an increase in the budget allocation for food and medical allowances for inmates.
According to the CHR, the 2024 daily food allocation for persons deprived of liberty was P70, while the budget for medicine was capped at P15 per PDL.
These amounts have remained unchanged since 2022, despite the ongoing economic challenges. The BJMP had proposed increasing these amounts to P100 and P30 per PDL, respectively.
The CHR thus urged legislators to consider the BJMP’s appeal as the commission shared the same goal as the bureau – to ensure humane conditions and adequate resources for the reformation of PDLs, as well as to treat them with dignity and respect.
“Articles 7 and 10 (Part III) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) state that persons deprived of liberty should be treated with humanity and with respect for the dignity of an individual,” said the CHR.
“Article 10 also mandates that correctional systems should be designed to rehabilitate and assist with the social reintegration of inmates.”
The commission emphasized that, as a State Party to the ICCPR, the Philippines had an obligation to adhere to these international standards and fully respect the rights of all individuals, including PDLs.
This responsibility entailed providing sufficient funds for PDLs’ basic food and medical needs.
Furthermore, the CHR believed that a humane approach to incarceration was crucial to genuine rehabilitation and social reintegration.
“The Commission also urges the government and all relevant stakeholders to heed this call for increased support to ensure that PDLs are treated in a manner consistent with their inherent human dignity,” the CHR concluded. — DVM, GMA Integrated News
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