Cruel and unusual

I am looking for the issue of a newspaper dated about  two weeks ago because I want to gaze again at a most unusual  picture ---  men lying in what looks like a basketball court, lying (or sleeping?) so close to each other that legs  rest on the bodies of their neighbors. Many were without shirts, many clad only in skimpy shorts, obviously because of the stifling  heat. I thought I saw a veritable mountain of  people --- a bit too improbable. Maybe  just a big pile of clothes.

At first  I thought this was in attempt to break the world's record in the number of sleepers in one location. It turns out that the picture was the 3,000 slumbering inmates of the Bulacan Provincial Jail (in Malolos) built to house only 500, so much so that the bottom line of the picture describes it "Human Sardines."

It's probably true to say that this situation, while not as dire and apparently inhuman as that in Bulacan, occur in many penal   facilities in this country .  Over crowding is a constant problem, exacerbated by the slow-pace   of  judicial proceedings caused by congested court dockets.

Maybe, some may consider flippant the question --- is the Bulacan "human sardine" situation constitutional?   In other words, if the constitution prohibits the imposition of cruel and unusual   punishment, would that cover  detention  of the prisoners, of having to be a  "sardine"  sleeping  in a cold cement floor? But a comedian of a lawyer could argue that while it maybe a bit cruel, it is not unusual so that the Bulacan jail situation is still constitutional.

Ha, ha, ha!

One of the main problems is that penal reform is really not a "sexy" topic.  I don't think a politician can win an election by promising penal  reforms.

Now and then, we see news breaks (caused big inhuman conditions?) and other types of problem, the usual over-crowded jails. The feeling generally is: why bother about people who are law-breakers? However, there are many in our jails who  are not convicts but  are waiting to be tried.  They are still presumed to be innocent.  In theory, you can get  bail.   But if you're too poor, you have to bear  being a sardine. Of course, the modern trend of penology is reformation. Confinement is punishment, but the ideal is that when a convict has served his sentence, he goes out a reformed and better person. Sub-standard jails can hardly  merit the term "reform schools."

Another aspect of penology is the exaggerated amount of time  to decide cases. There just too many accused of crimes, but too few judges to process cases. The inevitable result: undue delay. (Justice delayed is what?)

The Supreme Court has inaugurated a novel way to nudge more movements in the processing and decision in criminal cases by having  a big  bus complete with personnel to roam  the country side . The "Justice on Wheels", that's the name of the acceleration effort, was here in Bacolod, was it a month ago. I understand it resulted in the release of more than 40 inmates who deserved freedom. When will it be back?

***

Received a letter (press release) from my friend Atty. Rolando Parpa who is connected with Dacongcogon Sugar Central.  From the letter of Lando the central  is in the depths of neglect, especially by the government. Atty. Parpa is urging Noynoy to come visit the moth-balled  sugar mill in the mountains of Southern Negros. One of the problems, I understand, is the absence of peace in the area due to the lack of "peace talks". between the NPA and the government.

Many small sugarcane planters (10,000 of them)  used to derive income from the sugar mill when it was operating.  Since  Dacongcogon Sugar Mill closed down the specter  of poverty (hey, not only specter, but actual poverty,  has grown more frightful.)

But then, Dacongcogon has drifted down into history. Only guys like Atty. Rolando Parpa still keep the torch high. For how long, it's hard to tell.

Meanwhile, a crazy thought occurs to me: Maybe they should resurrect Ben Gaston and Bishop Fortich who used to be the backbones of Dacongcogon.*

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