Instead of a Department of Correctional Services, Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. suggested the creation of a Bureau of Correctional Services (BCS) under the Department of Justice (DOJ).
With the creation of a BCS, all prison facilities of BuCor, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and provincial jails will be under one roof like what has been done in other countries.
Catapang's proposal was aired on Monday, Dec. 4, during the oath taking of newly appointed and promoted non-uniformed personnel at the BuCor's headquarters in Muntinlupa Citu.
“May nagpapafile pa ng batas na Department of Correctional Services pero sabi ko masyado ano ‘yan (Some thought of filing a bill proposing the creation of the Department of Correctional Services but this is too much),” Catapang said.
“Having served in the government masyado masalimuot ‘yan (this is too complicated),” Catapang, a retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff, pointed out.
At present, BuCor is under DOJ; BJMP under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and provincial jails under the provincial local governments.
It might be inevitable that BuCor, BJMP and provincial jails might be under one government agency, Catapang said.
“Either ma-absorb tayo ng BJMP o ma-absorb natin ang BJMP at tsaka provincial jails kasi kasama ‘yan sa five-year development plan (It’s either we are absorbed by the BJMP or we absorb the BJMP including the provincial jails since that is part of the five-year development plan),” he said.
“Gusto ni Presidente pagsama-samahin na ‘yung provincial jail, BJMP, at tsaka BuCor (President Marcos wants to have the provincial jails, BJMP and BuCor under one roof),” he also said.
Should this happen, Catapang said, the agency should be under the DOJ.
Catapang said it would better that these agencies be under the DOJ because “trabaho natin related sa NBI, related sa immigration, related sa LRA tsaka may iba pa tayong plano sa BuCor (our work is related with the National Bureau of Investigation, immigration, Land Registration Authority, and we also have other plans with the BuCor).”
He said he will discuss his opposition and proposal with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla during the upcoming National Jail Decongestion Summit that will be held this Dec. 6 and 7 in Manila.
The holding of the summit by the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) has been proposed by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo during his jail visitations last October. JSCC, which was set up in 2010, is composed of the Supreme Court, the DOJ and the DILG.