PH jail congestion rate soars to over 500% amid drug war

Philippine jails have a total holding capacity of only 20,746, but now accommodate 126,946 inmates
Rappler (Philippines)
Friday, June 16, 2017

The Philippines' cramped jails had to accommodate more inmates in 2016 amid the government's crackdown on drugs as well as other issues, resulting in an overall 511.9% congestion rate, according to the Commission on Audit (COA). "The jail populations for the year increased in various months attributed to the increase in the number of drug-related cases in the country as well as the court's slow or no action on the pending cases due to lack of judges, postponement of hearings, and the slow disposition of criminal cases," COA said. (See also: Dispatches: Philippines’ ‘war on drugs’ worsens jail miseries)