About 60 patients with criminal cases are set to be transferred to a new building on April 14 to decongest the forensics pavilion at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH).

In a media forum on Wednesday, the Department of Health officer in charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said they have started putting up a new pavilion which will be completed in two phases.

“Itong building na pinapatayo natin, by Friday pwede na lagyan ng mga pasyente (This building that we’re putting up, can already house some patients by Friday),” she said.

“So, maililipat na natin almost 60 ng ating patients coming from this pavilion, itong forensics pavilion nakitang medyo congested para ma-decongest (So, we can already transfer 60 patients, coming from this pavilion, this forensics pavilion that’s congested to be decongested).”

Earlier, the DOH said the forensics pavilion was built to house 300 patients only.

The number of patients boarding in the pavilion swelled as patients who have been treated and tagged as competent to face charges in court are not yet endorsed and placed under the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Vergeire reported that they have also spotted two other pavilions with few admissions and can accommodate patients from the forensics pavilion.

She said the DOH has communicated with the concerned agencies to provide a proper area for the patients who have been classified discharged and competent while waiting for their cases to be heard in the trial courts.

“We have also requested audience from Senator Tulfo, next week, so, we can sit down with him and present to him kung ano na po ‘yung mga naging improvements na base na po dun sa mga obserbasyong naibigay nya sa atin (the improvements based on the observations that were handed to us),” she added. (PNA)