Five hundred persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) have been transferred from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF) in Zamboanga City, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said on Thursday, Oct. 24.
“The transfer of PDLs to various prison and penal farms nationwide is part of Bucor’s program to address overcrowding in the NBP and in preparation for the eventual closure of the correction facility in 2028,” the bureau said in a statement.
It said the 500 PDLs arrived at the SRPPF on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
During their trip, the inmates were escorted by 150 corrections officers that included members of the BuCor’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) escort team and medical personnel who were augmented by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Those transferred included 147 PDLs from the Maximum Security Camp, 153 from the Medium Security Camp, and 200 from the Reception and Diagnostic Center.
Meanwhile, the bureau said the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Palawan recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a P272.1 million facility that can accommodate female inmates from the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City.
“The construction of new facility is a step forward in promoting a more humane and effective criminal justice system in the country,” it said.
It added that the facility will have a two-storey dormitory that can accommodate 10 PDLs per cell; a main perimeter concrete fence with catwalks, stairs, post towers, and individual comfort rooms; and provisions for main sliding steel gate, secondary perimeter fence and solar light.