A total of 509 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) had been released from the prison facilities of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) last October, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Monday, Nov. 18.
In a statement, the DOJ said that most of those freed were the elderly, the sickly, and those who qualified under the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) Law.
GCTA credits shorten the period of the jail term of a PDL.
Citing BuCor records, the DOJ said that those released last October included 86 who had been acquitted; 292 whose jail terms had expired; 34 who had been granted probation; one who had secured a writ of habeas corpus; 95 who had been granted parole; and one who had been turned over to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
It said the release of the PDLs is “ part of the continuous jail decongestion efforts of the government.”
"The DOJ remains steadfast in its mission to ensure a safe, humane and effective rehabilitation of all PDLs under its care, in line with international standards and the country’s justice reform agenda,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said.
“Again, we are not merely rehabilitating prisoners but transforming their lives as well to become better people in the future vital for nation building,” he also said.
He noted that "aside from jail decongestion efforts, the DOJ and BuCor also arranged a Special Job Fair specifically designed for released PDLs.”
“In partnership with prominent business enterprises such as BP One Foods, Inc., Breakfast at Antonio's, Pedro the Grocer, Balay Dako and PGA Cars, the Special Job Fair aims to provide a platform for ex-inmates to explore and venture into various livelihood/business opportunities in aid of their reintegration into society,” he also said.