Cainta, Rizal inmates find solace in new aircon units, washing machines

Air conditioning units were installed at the Cainta Municipal Jail in Rizal to beat the heat and fight off the discomfort brought by overcrowding.

GMA News' Susan Enriquez reported on Balitanghali on Tuesday that three air conditioning units were installed at the jail facility, which was built four decades ago.

Currently, 200 inmates are squeezed into a space that was originally intended to accomodate only 70 male and 10 female inmates.

The report said that in 2006, at least 6 inmates died due to overcrowding.

"Triple po ito kasi dahil sa sunud-sunod na panghuhuli ngayon sa kontra-droga natin magmula noong ibalik ulit yung campaign sa kapulisan, yung double barrel order natin ay talaga naman tuluy-tuloy ang operasyon natin," Supt. Serafin Petalio, Cainta Chief of Police said.

Nine air conditioners, meanwhile, will also be installed on Wednesday in another nearby jail facility managed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

About 600 inmates are currently detained in the said jail, however it can only hold 230 individuals, the report added.

Aside from the air conditioning units, two washing machines were also brought in at the Cainta, Rizal facility.

"Most of them hindi na ata nabibisita, so hindi ata sila nakakapagpalit ng damit. So no matter what they do, mag-shower sila, they retain the same smell," Cainta Mayor Keith Nieto said.

Some of the inmates expressed relief over the installation of the airconditioning units.

"Sobrang ginhawa po sa amin," a male inmate said.

"Mas guminhawa na po, 'yung mga skin rash po nawala," a female inmate said.

Incidents of skin diseases, pneumonia, and other ailments related to overcrowding had also gone down ever since the air conditioning units were brought in.

"Malaking tulong kasi kung tutuusin sa panahon ngayon, lalo na at tag-init," Sr. Insp. Montano Abarico, Warden of Cainta BJMP.

Mayor Nieto said they only wanted to make conditions at the jail facility humane for the detainees.

"Sabi ko nga, we only deprived them of their liberties but not of their right to live in humane conditions," Nieto said. — Marlly Rome Bondoc/MDM, GMA News