Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Tuesday, 21 October, emphasized that no special treatment will be given at the new Quezon City Jail, which was prepared to detain the perpetrators of the flood control projects.

In a radio interview, the DILG chief said that the status of personalities involved in the case will not matter and that everyone will be treated equally.

“There will be no special treatment. If you are a big-time contractor or a senator, you will all stay in one place,” Secretary Remulla said in Filipino.

According to Secretary Remulla, the Quezon City Jail can accommodate up to 800 individuals, with an estimated 22 rooms that can hold 10 people each. He said his department anticipates that at least 200 individuals involved in the flood control scandal will be indicted there.

The new Quezon City Jail, located in Payatas, is the detention facility closest to the Sandiganbayan.

“The Sandiganbayan is the one that will make the final decision, and the usual first resort is the facility closest to their hearing house in Commonwealth. The available facility nearby is the Payatas BJMP,” Remulla explained.

The DILG chief also said that security at the jail will be tightened even further. The jail guards will have body cameras, which cannot be turned off while they are on duty.

According to Remulla, those who may be indicted in the facility should prepare themselves for what to expect and are advised to fully cooperate with the investigation to reduce the time they might spend behind bars.

“First, they should see where they are going. They should prepare mentally. Perhaps, if they see it, they should just admit what wrong they did if they don't want to be jailed for a long time,” Remulla said.