Fourteen persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) -- who opted to stay at the Leyte Regional Prison (LRP) in Abuyog, Southern Leyte despite the fury of super typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013 and the fire that hit the facility in 2015 – have been freed due to special time allowance (STAL) which shortened their jail terms.
In a statement, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said the STAL which corresponds to “a reduction of two-fifths of the period of sentence” is given to a prisoner “who chose to stay in the place of his confinement notwithstanding the existence of a calamity or catastrophe....”
BuCor said that STAL is provided for under Section 5, Article 98 of Republic Act No. 10592 which amended in 2013 several provisions of the Revised Penal Code.
STAL applies to any prisoner “whether undergoing preventive imprisonment or serving sentence,” RA 10592 provides.
BuCor said the 14 released PDLs “were given STAL when they opted to stay during the super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ last Nov. 8, 2013 and when a fire incident took place in the prison last Oct. 08, 2015.”
The 14 PDLs were released following a culminating program held at the LRP last Jan. 21. “Prior to their release, COVID-19 Antigen Test was conducted to ensure safety,” it said.
During the program, the BuCor said “the released PDLs were encouraged to maintain good conduct, utilize the knowledge and skills acquired from the reformation programs, and continue learning in their reintegration into the society.”
It said that BuCor Director General Gerald Q. Bantag has been “promoting a unique reformation program to all PDLs entrusted to its custody.’
Last Jan. 21, two PDLs, who had served their jail terms, were also released from the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro.
BuCor said that in 2021, a total of 4,610 PDLs were released from its seven prison facilities nationwide.