Miriam: Jails should not be turned into ‘private resorts’

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago filed a bill forbidding detainees from having access to luxuries such as TV sets, cellphones and computers inside their cell, a report on GMA’s “24-Oras” program said Saturday.

According to Santiago, detainees should not be having the time of their lives while in detention.

“These prisoners are supposed to be experiencing punishment for their crimes, not taking a vacation. They are making a mockery out of the justice system by turning our jails into their own private resorts,” Santiago said.

She added that all prisoners whether ordinary or with social status should be treated equally and given the same accommodation.

Santiago’s move comes after the arrest and detention of her peer – Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., whose family plans to bring in an air cooler to relieve his heat-induced migraine.

But the Philippine National Police (PNP) did not allow the machine to be installed in the custodial center of the PNP where Revilla is currently detained.

“Any appliance, equipment, gadget from the smallest cellphone to the biggest air conditioning unit or refrigerator or TV set has to be manifested by their lawyers to the court,” PNP spokesman C/Supt Reuben Sindac said.

Last Friday, Revilla surrendered to the Sandiganbayan after the anti-graft court signed a warrant for his arrest in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel fund scam.

The Sandiganbayan is also expected to release arrest warrants for Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada.

Estrada has said he would like to have access to cable television and a tablet computer if detained.—GMA News