“This does not only indicate the government’s dire lack of compassion for those imprisoned. [It is also] a clear violation of international human rights norms such as the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners or the Mandela Rule.”
By ASHLEYAH DE LA CRUZ
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — They are humans but why are they treated inhumanely?
A group of former political detainees criticized the insufficient funds for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in the 2024 national budget.
“This does not only indicate the government’s dire lack of compassion for those imprisoned. [It is also] a clear violation of international human rights norms such as the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners or the Mandela Rule”, Samahan ng Ex-detainees Labas sa Detensyon at Aresto (Selda) spokesperson Bonifacio Ilagan said.
The statement came as a response after the House of Representatives’ budget hearing last Aug. 23, where the PDLs’ food and medicines were discussed. They are slated to receive a daily budget of only P70 for food and P15 for medicine.
The Justice Department asked the budget department to increase the funding to P100 for food and P30 for medicine. This was not approved despite the Philippine jails being overcrowded by 383 percent.
According to Selda, the proposed budget has remained the same for the past five years.
The organization of former political prisoners said that the daily P70 food budget per prisoner is insufficient based on the Food and Nutrition Research Institute’s (FNRI) standard cost of a nutritionally adequate diet.
Ilagan said that political prisoners are among those who experience being deprived of nutritious food and medical services inside jails. At least 95 out of the 778 political prisoners have various ailments and mortal diseases; 77 are elderly. Majority of the prison population also fall under the poverty threshold.
The organization has called on Congress to increase the food and medicine budget for PDLs in accordance with international standards.
“Adequate funding should be provided to ensure that they have access to decent living conditions and essential services”, Ilagan said. (JJE, DAA) 
