Four hundred fifty persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were transferred on Saturday, Sept. 30, from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City and the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregoio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said the PDLs, with 150 jail guards, boarded a commercial vessel and are expected to arrive in Palawan by noon of Sunday, Oct. 1.
Of those transferred, 396 PDLs came from the medium-security compound and four from the maximum-security compound of NBP, and 50 from CIW.
There are now more than 1,500 PDLs who have been transferred from NBP and CIW to the IPPF and to the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro.
Catapang said the transfer under "Oplan Lipatan" (Operation Transfer) not only helps solve the congestion problems in Metro Manila's detention facilities, but it also isolates PDLs from nefarious activities.
The transfer is also part of BuCor's plan to close down NBP and CIW since the 357-hectare property of NBP will be converted into a commercial hub called BuCor Global City and government center, he said.
"We really need to close NBP since it is no longer practical for us to stay here where high-end residential subdivisions are now located and the residents around the area are apprehensive and fear for their safety should a prisoner escape," he added.