Detainee population at the Bohol District Jail (BDJ) continued to surge amid the government’s sustained drive against illegal drug trade congesting the 400-capacity facility by 233 percent.

According to BDJ warden Chief Insp. Felipe Montejo, 70 percent or 654 of the BDJ’s 933 detainees are facing drug charges, and both figures are projected to further rise.

In previous weeks, 40 detainees had been moved out from the facility only to be replaced by 82 more, said Montejo.

The jail warden partly attributed the congestion to the slow progress in the cases of the detainees.

According to Montejo, rape suspects are second in terms of number inside the facility at 66 including one female.

Other top cases of BDJ detainees are murder, 59; homicide, 24; child abuse, 23; frustrated murder, 20 including seven women; parricide, nine including two women; and physical injury, two.

There are also two carnapping, four qualified theft, and nine theft suspects inside the facility, said Montejo.

Amid the projected uptrend in detainee population, Montejo said that they are now awaiting the bidding for the construction of more jail cells inside the facility to alleviate congestion.

A P10-million budget for the construction of more jail cells at the BDJ was approved by the provincial government last year.

Former BDJ warden Jail Chief Insp. Rusylvi Abueva previously said that the fund will cover the construction of 10 more jail cells in the overcrowded detention facility.

He said that each cell can accommodate 30 to 40 inmates. (Allen Doydora)