A total of 328 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) was released on Monday, Dec. 19, from prison facilities of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) nationwide.
BuCor Officer-In-Charge Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said the new releases brought to 5,917, the total number of PDLs freed this year.
Department of Justice (DOJ)Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, Undersecretary Deo L. Marco, Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic F. Calvano IV, and Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Chief Persida V. Rueda-Acosta were present during the release ceremony.
Catapang said that those freed included 118 PDLs from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City; 13, Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City; 76, Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) in Davao del Norte; 28, Leyte Regional Prison (LRP) in Abuyog, Leyte; 23, San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF) in Zamboanga City; 24, Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro; 44; Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (PPF) in Palawan, 44; and two from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio City.
BuCor has an existing agreement with the PMA to accommodate PDLs who are set for release.
“Next year dodoblehin na natin ang lalaya (Next year we will double the number of inmates to be released),” said Catapang.
“Kasi po ang guindance niya sa akin ngayon mag-create na ng volunteers na mga abogado bawat region (I have been advised by DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla to have volunteer lawyers in every region to achieve this),” he added.
Remulla, on the other hand, said that the DOJ and BuCor would endeavor to release an average of 700 to 800 qualified PDLs every month.
He said that the DOJ and BuCor would again submit names of PDLs who are qualified for executive clemency.
“Mga 2,000 ang aim namin na makalabas dito in probably 60 to 75 days (We aim to have 2,000 persons granted clemency and be released within 60 to 75 days),” he noted.
“I will see the Executive Secretary tomorrow and we will probably arrive at a more definite date in the next few days para sa clemency,” he added.
TAGS: #PDLs #BuCor #DOJ #Remulla