PNP Iloilo city, lacks holding centers, social workers for CICL

The police in Ilolilo city said the lack of holding center and social workers are problems in dealing with children in conflict with law.

Supt. Eugenio Espejo said the problem is made more difficult when the apprehension of youth offenders happen at night, and in far-flung municipalities.

Espejo was representing the Philippine National Police - 6 during the inter-agency dialogue on "Strengthening the Pillars of the Criminal Justice System" for the celebration of the National Correctional Consciousness Week.

He said that compounding the problem on the CICLs is the crowded municipal detention cells, besides the fact that RA 9344 or the Juvenile Justice Law prohibits child offenders to be detained together with adult criminals.

The police officer said the situation calls for the establishment of holding centers for the CICLs where they can be held for temporary custody.

The Department of Social Work and Development, represented by Rose Sanagustin said that local government units, under the law should provide for salaries of social workers and activate its Municpal and Barangay Councils for the Protection of Children to address lack of holding centers.
Sanagustin said the problem is that not all LGUs have organized their M/BCPCs, which should be a concern of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

The dialogue, which was also participated in by representatives from agencies composing the other pillars of justice, namely the courts, prosecution, corrections and the community, surfaced the recurring and seemingly neglected problem on the lack of prosecutors in the province.

Assistant Regional State Prosecutor Kenneth John Amamanglon said there are only 10 prosecutors in the province now, as against the ideal which is 24.

He said they are waiting for actions on their request for additional prosecutors which may take some time. Nevertheless, they try to work hard and cope with the bulk of cases at hand.

Other concerns expressed included the urgent necessary treatment for mentally-ill inmates in the jails in Iloilo and the putting in place of services and programs for parolees and those on probation. - PIA — ARA