By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

THE holding cells for detainees at the Guma Hustisia are now under renovation to comply with federal requirements.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Miguel S. Demapan said the renovation started two weeks ago and is now 60 percent complete.
He said the holding cells are located underground beneath the Guma Hustisia building and will be used for a holding detainees during court proceedings.
The cells have not been used due to lack of manpower and federal approval.
Joseph R. Guzman, the building superintendent, said in a separate interview that the last time that the facility was inspected by a federal inspector was two years ago.
“We did not pass so we have to improve the holding cells to comply with the requirements,” Guzman said adding that everything has to be upgraded.
“We upgraded the door locks and everything was changed,” he said.
The total cost of the renovation was $82,000 which came from the federal government.
There are five holding cells for male detainees and two for females.
These cells will serve as the holding areas for detainees awaiting their court proceedings.
The cells also lack marshals.
Demapan said they will be needing at least 15 to 20 more marshals.
“We can’t use these cells because we don’t have enough manpower to man this place — we need more marshals to operate this place and to escort the detainees but since we’re short of staff, this place has not been serving its purpose,” Demapan said.
Demapan said they can’t hire more marshals due to lack of funds which must come from the local government.
Guzman said the contractor for the renovation of the holding cells is Pacific Corp. which also won in the bidding for the construction of the new corrections facility.
“They are the same company that did the new corrections facility so they know exactly what they’re doing,” he said.