Twenty unclaimed remains of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City had been laid to rest, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said on Saturday, Nov. 2.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said he had ordered the burial of the 20 dead PDLs last Oct. 24 at the NBP's cemetery.
“Nakakaawa naman dahil may 20 PDLs na pinalibing natin kamakailan sa NBP Cemetery ang hindi na nadadalaw ng kanilang pamilya kaya inatasan natin si NBP Superintendent, Chief Inspector Roger Boncales na magtirik ng kandila sa puntod ng bawat isa sa kanila (It’s sad that we have 20 PDLs who we recently buried at the NBP Cemetery where no family members visited and, because of this, I have instructed NBP Superintendent, Chief Inspector Roger Boncales, to light candles for them),” Catapang said on All Souls’ Day.
Also, the BuCor said that Director Catapang to place one big wreath for all departed PDLs in all prison and penal farms nationwide.
Since Nov. 9, 2022, the bureau said there had been a total of 384 unclaimed remains in all prison and penal farms, including the 20 PDLs who were recently buried.
In lieu of personal visits, it said that Catapang had instructed the facilitation of supervised video calls for PDLs at the NBP from Nov. 1 to Nov. 2.
“This effort allowed the PDLs an opportunity to virtually connect with their families and pay tribute to their departed loved ones during the observance of these important days through electronic means,” the bureau also said.