A total of 234 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from seven prison facilities of the Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) was simultaneously released on Thursday, Nov. 24.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, who witnessed the release of 128 PDLs from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City, said that about 600 more PDLs may be released soon through executive clemency.
Remulla said the Department of Justice (DOJ) may release about 5,000 more PDLs by June 2023 as part of Bucor’s jail decongestion program.
He also said that the names of 318 PDLs have been submitted to the Office of the President for executive clemency through parole, pardon or commutation of sentence.
At the same time, Remulla, in his speech during the release ceremony, said the DOJ has started its study on the possible “supervised release” of PDLs who are 65 years old and above also as part of the decongestion program.
“Ang rate kasi ng crimes committed ng 65 and above ay mababa na at pag aaralan namin if pwede na magkaroon ng supervised release. (The crime rate committed by persons 65 years old and above has decreased and we will study if a supervised release can be done),” he said.
But he pointed out that those convicted of sexual offenses would not be included in the program. “Karamihan sa mga bagong pasok ay mga sexual offenses ang kaso at pag sexual offenses mahirap po pagbigyan kasi yan ay salot sa lipunan (Most of the newly detained are convicted of sexual offenses and it is difficult to include them as they are considered a menace to society),” he also said.
The release of more PDLs who are qualified to be freed was a result of the intensified efforts made by the DOJ and its attached agencies including the Bucor, the Public Attorneys Office (PAO) and the Parole and Probation Administration (PPA), Remulla said.
“Kasi dati ang problema slow yung carpeta unlike now na talagang lumalabas na ang carpeta (Previously the release of the prison records or carpaeta was slow unlike now it’s fast),” he said.
Of the 234 PDLs released, 12 of them had been acquitted; one had been issued a writ of habeas corpus, 106 had been granted parole, 112 had served their jail terms; two had been granted probation, and one had his arrest and recommitment lifted.
Those released inmates include 128 from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City; 21 from the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City; 47 from the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF) in Zamboanga City; three from the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan; 16 from the Leyte Regional Prison (LRP) in Abuyog, Leyte; 47 from the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) in Davao del Norte; 16 from the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF) in Zamboanga City; and 12 from the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro.
On another issue, Remulla said that BuCor will bury on Friday, Nov. 25, the remains of 70 PDLs who died at the NBP.
He said the 70 remains of PDLs were part of the 176 inmates whose remains are kept at the Eastern Funeral Service in Muntinlupa City.
Earlier, Remulla had said he ordered the autopsy on the remains of those kept at the funeral home.
He said that forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun, chairperson of the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila Department of Pathology, has already conducted autopsies on several remains at the Eastern Funeral Service.
“I will try to speak with her this weekend kasi mag-u-update lang kami ng aming alam sa bawat isa (to update each other with what we know) and of course to make sure we are on the same page about what we want to happen in the future,” he said.
On the burying of the remains, Remulla said: “If there is any finding or complaint later on that leads to another investigation, we are not discounting the possibility of exhumation if necessary.”
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