A total of 4,636 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) had died within the prison facilities of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) from Jan. 1 2020 to June 30, 2024.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said on Thursday, July 11, a total of 1,182 PDLs died in 2020; 1,166 in 2021; 925 in 2022; 876 in 2023; and 487 as of June 30, 2024.
With most of the causes of these deaths remained unknown, Catapang welcomed the signing of the Declaration of Cooperation to Strengthen Procedures to Investigate Custodial Deaths of Persons Deprived of Liberty.
The declaration was signed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) Country Manager Daniele Marchesi and University of the Philippines (UP) Manila Chancellor Michael L. Tee.
“We're doing something really very great, a milestone,” said Catapang who expressed commitment to cooperate in the declaration.
He said the move “can help us really assess the condition of our PDLs.”
Under the declaration, a dead PDL would have to under forensic autopsy first before the body is brought to a funeral parlor for embalming.
Prior to the signing of the declaration, Catapang explained that under the BuCor’s manual, unless claimed by relatives, the body of a PDL may be turned over to an institution of learning or any scientific research center designated by the justice secretary, for the purpose of study and investigation, provided that such institution shall provide a decent burial of the remains.
Otherwise, he said BuCor will order the burial of the body of the PDL at the expense of the government.