The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) confirmed Thursday that the new jail facility at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan Taguig City was constructed without consultation from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) despite the latter flagged that it sits on top of the West Valley Fault four years before it was built.

BJMP chief Jail Director Ruel Rivera said that they had coordinated with the concerned agencies, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), prior to undertaking the jail facility but confirmed that was no talks between the department and the Philvolcs concerning its safety.

"In coordination with Phivolcs, none. But, the engineers looked at the corresponding things, [such as] how strong the materials in case some calamities happen there. We also have a security survey of the BJMP, Mr. chairman,” Rivera said in Filipino at the House Committee on Appropriations budget hearing.

Rivera’s remark came in response to House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro’s query about how the construction of the jail facility pushed through notwithstanding the warning of former Philvolcs director Renato Solidum as early as 2015 that it was unsafe and should not be occupied as it was positioned atop an active fault line.

Reports showed that Solidum, who is now the secretary of the Department of Science and Technology -- the mother agency of Phivolcs -- had complained that they were not consulted by the concerned government agencies and private firms before implementing the said construction project.

According to Phivolcs, areas in the West Valley Fault are the most vulnerable to the Big One or an earthquake with a magnitude of no less than 7.2 on the Richter scale.

The West Valley Fault is one of the two major fault segments of the Valley Fault System, which traverses through the cities of Metro Manila, including Taguig, Marikina, Quezon City, Pasig, Makati and Muntinlupa.

"When there is a strong earthquake [and] because it’s on top of the earthquake West Valley Fault, our PDLs (persons deprived of liberty), our BJMP personnel will be in peril,” Castro said in Filipino.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., meanwhile, clarified that the construction of the jail facility began in 2019, long before he assumed office in mid-2022, which Castro dismissed.

"All we want Mr. Secretary, is to conduct a thorough review for earthquake safety compliance before it becomes operational. Because we heard Mr. chair, that soon, our PDLs and BJMP personnel will be brought there and we don't want them to be placed on top of the West Valley Fault which is dangerous when there is an earthquake,” Castro lamented.

Abalos then pledged that the DILG, which oversees the BJMP, would immediately execute a thorough inspection.

“As of this time, there is no PDL there yet. it's still vacant. By next week, I will make sure we will be inspecting this and we will hire experts. I commit to that,” the DILG chief assured.

Castro, however, warned that she would keep an eye on the DILG’s action and would demand a follow-up once the DILG’s budget reached the plenary.

Furthermore, Abalos assured the panel that the so-called “solitary isolation cells” on the seventh floor of the newly constructed jail facility, which is allegedly built to house political prisoners, will not be pushed through.

Abalos also committed that they would safeguard and uphold better humane treatment for PDLs.

“We assure you Mr. chair that we are signatories to the Nelson Mandela Rules, we abide and we commit to this… And we had a MoA (memorandum of agreement) with the Commission on Human Rights for the humane treatment of persons deprived of liberty,” Abalos said.

“We will do all these standards and we assure you that no solitary cells will be done here,” he concluded.

The Nelson Mandela Rules is an international standard that promotes humane treatment for prisoners, maintains safe and secure conditions, and implements disciplinary measures that respect human dignity and avoid torture or other forms of inhumane treatment.