OUR OWN DEVIL’S ISLAND: TO DE-CONGEST OUR PRISONS AND THE ALTERNATIVE TO THE DEATH PENALTY A Devil’s Island – similar to the French Guiana penal colony in South America- is the best non-violent alternative to the death penalty. We are an island nation of several hundreds of small islands, few of which are not even populated. It is about time that government had the vision of exploiting one of these islands and transform it to an island prison likened to Alcatraz. The concept is ambitious and expensive but it’s worth the people’s money if they want to buy their peace of mind. At present our prisons are next to pig pens, crowded, and mismanaged. No wonder not a few hardened criminals have managed to escape to freedom, free to re-join the underworld, free to molest the free because they were treated like animals. Whereas, if the Philippines has one Devil’s Island, it can exile criminals, especially the worst of them, to this island where they can “enjoy” solitary confinement away from the society whose law and peace they have violated. “You can say, I am a dreamer” or have been watching too much television but the concept of a Devil’s Island fits our islanf nation’s culture of impunity. Better spend people’s money on the Devil’s Island than lose it to the local plundering devils. The Church and the Commission on Human Right should have no reasons to protest that form of banishment as inhuman and unchristian. On the contrary, residents of the Devil’s Island will live more humanely, enjoy more space, have the opportunity for reflection in an island to commune with nature to the tune of the waves. The idea will not be taking any life but will give new meaning to life of reformation. In other words, prisoners will not be languishing behind bars in one unhealthy crowded room but live a life, breathing fresh air in an island embraced by the shore while the rest of society can sleep in peace. Despite its name, prison life in the Devils Island won’t be hell but constructive purgatory, if you will, because during their confinement, the residents can opt to learn a vocation or earn a diploma that could arm them if and when they are finally released to rejoin society. Or choose to die natural death and meet their Creator in peace. Sure this is easier said than done but it can be done if there is political and consensual approval between our leaders and the people. POMPEYO S. PEDROCHE
Posted on: Fri, 02 May 2014 01:47:58 +0000
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