Report of the IPCA Worldwide Steering Committee Meeting
Held in Manila, Philippines (November 24-29, 2008)
Held in Manila, Philippines (November 24-29, 2008)
The Committee visited the Manila City Jail. They were welcomed and addressed by the Deputy Chief for administration of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Chief Supt. Dionisio Mamaril, and the Warden of the Manila City Jail, Supt. Hernan Grande, who gave a presentation on their vision for the future, and the many issues and challenges facing jails in the Philippines. The Committee was entertained by a group of prisoners, and then spent time freely moving around the prison. The IPCA President Birgitta Winburg, at a Press Conference later in the week criticized the conditions at the Manila City Jail as “unacceptable” and “most impoverished we have ever seen”
The Committee met with senior government officials including Congressman Lorenzo Tañada, Chairman, Committee on Human Rights, House of Representatives; Ma. Elena Caraballo, Director of the Council for the Welfare of Children; Ismael Herradura, Administrator of the Parole and Probation Administration; and Karen Gomez-Dumpit, Director of the Government Linkages Office of the Commission on Human Rights to discuss issues relating incarceration, and persons deprived of their Liberties.
The Committee had Engagement and Fellowship with Bishop Pedro D. Arigo, D.D., Chair of CBCP (Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care); prison chaplains and coordinators of volunteers in prison service, at the Roma Function Room of the Manila Hotel. At the function, the IPCA President Bitgitta Winburg lauded the efforts being conducted by the Catholic Church saying “I’m really overwhelmed and proud of the very good work the church is doing in working hard to get better conditions for people in prison”.
At a Press Conference, the Steering Committee addressed issues relating to Conditions in Philippine Prisons; Advocacy for Prisoners, Prison Reform, Reconciliation verses Retribution, Laws against Torture, Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Punishment, Restorative Justice, Observance of UN Standards for Persons Deprived of their Liberties, etc.
The Committee met and had engagement with Church Leaders of the National Council of Churches of the Philippines who are involved with the issues of human rights and discussed various matters relating prison conditions, prisoners and ex-prisoners.
The IPCA steering committee sought, through these activities, to further develop its work of sharing God’s love, being bearers of hope and giving voice to the voiceless. Our meeting in Manila united, encouraged and equipped us with tremendous insights from practitioners who are meeting basic human needs, increasing community engagement, fostering the human and religious rights of prisoners, giving pastoral care and developing restorative justice in correctional systems around the world.
- Despite severe under funding, the staffs of the jail system are making great efforts to improve their system and make it transparent. The abject and degrading jail conditions make inmates lose their dignity as human beings and jeopardize their opportunity to become better persons and productive members of the human society. The Philippine jails and prisons are often congested and overcrowded and so are not able to provide the basic services that prisoners are entitled to.
- There is a critical shortage of correctional employees and increased staffing is necessary. The ratio of one correctional employee to supervise 56 prisoners cannot provide public safety and prisoner rehabilitation.
- The course of justice is taking too long as many people are in jail awaiting trial for several years. This contributes to congestion, overcrowding and causes injustice. Justice delayed is justice denied.
- There is a grave lack of facilities and services to prisoners with special needs such as those who are mentally ill, handicapped, children, or sick.
- There is a great need to increase the number and quality of rehabilitation and treatment programs that will reduce repeat crime and ensure there are fewer victims.
Executive:
- Review the guidelines for granting of executive clemency,
- Vigilantly enforce international laws promoting the interest and welfare of prisoners, especially of treaties and similar agreements where the Philippines is a signatory.
- Maintain strict compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child especially with regard to matters concerning children in conflict with the law.
- Pass bills to decongest the jails.
- Enact bills to promote prison reforms such as increased budget for food, upkeep and maintenance of service facilities, and more humane treatment of prisoners; and the elimination of torture.
- Adopt he principles and practices of laws in the light of implementing a humane, egalitarian, and community-oriented justice that heals and seek alternatives to imprisonment.
- Institute a pubic monitoring system to trace the development and movement of hearings to promote speedy trials.
- Strict implementation of the rules governing the handling of cases.
- Immediately fill all vacancies in the courts.
- Expedite the disposition of cases by giving priorities to those who have been in detention for a long time.
In conclusion, the IPCA Steering Committee offers its thanks to God for all the blessings of this meeting in Manila. We pray that God will continue to guide and strengthen prison ministry to help prisoners know that they are of value, hope is real, and that even in their darkest moments they are not alone and are not forgotten.
A Summary Report of the IPCA Meeting Declaration and IPCA Press Conference in Manila by Kieran Garvey.