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00:09 Quezon City Jail is the third largest city jail in the country
00:14 if the number of prisoners is mentioned.
00:17 If we're going to judge, only 278 people are in prison here in Quezon City Jail.
00:24 But for now, the population has already exceeded 3,000.
00:28 That's why they say the congestion rate of Quezon City Jail is already over 1,000%.
00:35 When I talked to some prisoners, they said almost the same.
00:44 How long have you been here? How many years?
00:47 It's been two years.
00:49 It's been two years.
00:50 How long before you get jailed again?
00:52 There's 8 months, sometimes 6 months.
00:56 What does 8 months mean?
00:58 You'll wait for a hearing.
01:00 And when the hearing date comes?
01:02 Sometimes it's canceled.
01:04 We're not yet sentenced.
01:06 We're already in the process of being sentenced.
01:07 But our hearing is one year.
01:09 8 months, then we'll be resettled.
01:12 But the sentence is only 10 years.
01:14 Most of the prisoners here are already 9 years old.
01:17 It's not clear yet.
01:20 The bureau will be out when you're sentenced.
01:22 Some people get released when they're sentenced.
01:24 If they're not sentenced, they're not free.
01:26 That's why our problem here is with the court.
01:32 The court really needs to speed up the process.
01:37 So that we won't be pitied.
01:39 All the detainees here are not yet sentenced by the court.
01:45 But because of the slow pace of their cases,
01:48 many of the detainees here have been in jail for several years.
01:52 Some say that they are more dependent on the city jail
01:57 for their sentence.
01:59 The lack of lawyers and judges is a big problem
02:04 for the prisoners' cases.
02:07 On average, before a hearing,
02:09 our inmates are in jail for a year
02:13 because the hearing is being resettled or postponed.
02:19 The Supreme Court is also seeing this.
02:22 They issued a ruling that the courts will add more people
02:27 who will hear or try drug cases,
02:29 especially now that the number of inmates involved in illegal drugs is increasing.
02:36 Gilbert has been waiting for the sentence for more than 10 years.
02:41 He's not proven guilty in the Quezon City Jail.
02:44 He was charged with murder.
02:47 Your case is a long time in jail.
02:50 You haven't been sentenced.
02:52 You've been in jail for 10 years.
02:54 No, we just feel it.
02:57 They're the ones who hold the law.
02:59 They have a right to hold the law.
03:01 So I accept that the sentence will be a long time in jail.
03:06 In the sentence, it says "not guilty."
03:09 Then you're released.
03:11 Is there anyone waiting?
03:14 My siblings.
03:16 My parents.
03:18 I'm just praying for them.
03:20 I'm just praying for them.
03:22 I just hope that they won't be arrested.
03:24 The slow process of the case is one of the reasons
03:33 why the number of inmates in the city jail is increasing.
03:38 What if it's raining and there's a storm?
03:42 It will be a storm.
03:44 Will you be able to fit in there?
03:45 No, ma'am.
03:46 Last night, I was sitting here.
03:48 Sitting?
03:49 Yes, like shifting.
03:51 After 2 hours, they will be able to sleep.
03:54 Because there's not enough space,
03:59 they need to find a way to find a place.
04:03 So that others can sleep, they make a hole.
04:06 So that's where they sleep, even if it's too low.
04:09 They make a hole in the floor because there's no space.
04:13 In this big cell, if you follow the UN standard,
04:17 4.7, this area should be 5 to 10.
04:23 How many are in this dorm?
04:25 100.
04:26 100 plus?
04:27 100 plus inmates.
04:28 In this area, ma'am?
04:37 In this hot room, they are like sardines in a sieve.
04:42 According to the Khezon City Jail,
04:46 1,849 are in cases of bailable or can go to jail
04:51 including illegal gambling.
04:54 It means that they can be temporarily released
04:57 if they can just pay the bail
04:59 and outside, they will be allowed to continue their case.
05:06 This is what might happen to Joseph.
05:08 His case is a caracruz.
05:10 He was sentenced to 6 months in prison
05:13 but Joseph has been in jail for 7 months.
05:17 Your family doesn't know where you are?
05:19 No.
05:20 They don't know?
05:21 Not yet.
05:22 Since you were arrested, you haven't called them?
05:27 No.
05:28 Why?
05:29 My phone is missing.
05:31 No phone?
05:35 None.
05:36 My phone is missing.
05:38 Where are they?
05:40 Manila.
05:42 They are in Manila.
05:43 The bail is 1,000 to 6,000 pesos for his case.
05:49 The problem is that he doesn't have money to collect.
05:53 Did you file a hearing?
05:54 Yes.
05:55 What happened in the hearing?
05:57 Nothing.
05:58 If there is a fine, I won't release you.
06:01 You are fined.
06:03 How much?
06:04 1,000 pesos.
06:05 You are not paying the fine?
06:07 No.
06:08 We don't know.
06:09 Joseph asked his family to find out his situation here in Quezon City Jail.
06:15 Because of Joseph's request to see his family,
06:20 we found them at the address he gave.
06:23 Reporters Notebook visited Joseph's family in Manila.
06:27 The team reached out to Joseph's current situation.
06:30 Let me. I have two kids.
06:33 I am the one who is defending my son.
06:35 What is your reaction? Did you find out that he is in danger?
06:38 I feel sorry for my son.
06:40 This situation is not only happening in Quezon City Jail.
06:47 Because in some provinces, almost all are experiencing the same problem.
06:57 [music]
06:59 Grandpa Ricardo is 73 years old.
07:06 He has been in jail for 15 years for murder.
07:15 Who will not be in jail for a long time?
07:17 The criminal is already in jail.
07:19 It's not just a matter of time.
07:21 You will be called.
07:27 You will be called.
07:29 You will be reshaped.
07:32 You will be free.
07:34 You will be reshaped.
07:36 It will take 3 months.
07:45 By nightfall, the poor condition of the prisoners in Tacloban City Jail is more severe.
07:52 In this situation, the number of detainees in Quezon City Jail is decreasing.
07:59 Because since August, the new detainees are not being accepted temporarily.
08:05 So now, the number of detainees in Quezon City Jail is more than 3,000 from more than 4,000.
08:12 I told myself, "I hope I won't be in jail."
08:16 And you're really next to me.
08:19 You're all together.
08:21 You're exchanging time when you're going to sleep.
08:23 I was able to get in because we have clients.
08:26 It's so close.
08:27 I'm Mackie Pulido and this is the new decade of Reporters Notebook.
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