MANILA — Overcrowding has been a perennial problem in the Philippine jail system, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Friday.

The humanitarian organization is ready to work with the Department of Justice and other concerned government agencies to decongest detention centers in the country, said ICRC's regional director for Asia Pacific, Christine Cipolla.

She noted that overcrowding not only leads to the spread of communicable diseases like COVID-19, scabies, and tuberculosis, but also makes behavioral change harder for inmates.

"We do believe that this matter should be addressed collectively in order to provide sustainable response," Cipolla told ANC.

"And here the initiative we heard from the Supreme Court, such as...the pre-trial length of detention is reduced. These are very encouraging initiatives that we of course do support," she said.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla has said that he wanted to work on decongesting jails and prisons in his first 100 days in office.

The New Bilibid Prison recently made headlines after an inmate was accused of serving as a middleman in the murder of prominent radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa, more known as Percy Lapid. The purported intermediary later died, allegedly suffocated by members of his own gang.

• Marcos orders BuCor chief's suspension after death of 'middleman' in Percy Lapid slay
• Percy Lapid slay 'middleman' died from plastic bag suffocation: second autopsy

Police later alleged that suspended prisons bureau chief Gerald Bantag ordered the hit order on Mabasa supposedly due to his exposés against the official. Bantag said he had nothing to do with the killing.

• New info in Percy Lapid slay: Bantag 'livid' that journo took photos of vehicles, house
• Percy Lapid's family dares Bantag: Show up, answer murder raps
• 'Top to bottom' changes in BuCor sought

–– ANC, 18 November 2022