Five hundred persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City and at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City were transfered on Monday, Nov. 6, to the Davao Prison and Panel Farm (DPPF) in Davao del Norte.

In a statement, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said the transfer was in line with its "continuing protram to decongest the NBP."

“By 2028, itong NBP ng BuCor isasara na natin. Ang iiwan na lang natin dito ‘yan training area at mga opisina at mga historical sites (By 2028, we will close the Bilibid. We will leave only the training area, the offices, and the historical sites),” BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said. 

Those transfered to DPPF included 114 PDLs from the maximum security compound, 36 from the medium security compound, and 300 from the Reception and Diagnostic Center of the NBP, and 50 from the CIW, BuCor said. 

To clear NBP, Catapang said: "Ang ginagawa natin ang lahat ng ating PDLs ay dinadala natin sa ating kolonya para sa ganoon tumulong sa food production, sa food security (we are transferring the PDLs to the colonies to contribute to food production and food security).”

He said that portions of the vast land of DPPF are being leased to the Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Incorporated (TADECO).

“Nagtatanim sila ng banana pero ang ginagamit nilang nagtatanim ay mga PDLs (They plant bananas and use the PDLs as workers),” he said.

“Nagbabayad sa atin ang TADECO between P20 to P22 million a month sa renta ng mga lupa natin doon (TADECO pays P20 to P22 million per month for the lease of the lands),” he also said.