About 1,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) have been released by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) since Nov. 26 and are now enjoying the holiday season with their families.
The BuCor said those released included 625 who completed their maximum sentences, 134 who were acquitted, one who was granted with motion for release, 38 who were granted probation, 190 who were paroled, 11 who were released through writs of habeas corpus, and one who was turned over to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Fifty-nine of those freed came from the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City, two from the CIW of the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, 18 from CIW Mindanao, 170 from Davao Prison and Penal Farm, 111 from Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, 69 from Leyte Regional Prison, 199 from Bilibid’s Maximum Security Camp, 146 from Bilibid’s Medium Security Camp, 40 from Bilibid’s Minimum Security Camp, 17 from NBP’s Reception and Diagnostic Center, 68 from Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm, and 101 from San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm.
“This brings to 7,707 the number of PDLs released from Jan.1 to Dec. 30 or a total of 18,422 PDLs freed since Justice Secretary Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla assumed office,” said the BuCor.
“Gusto pa rin namin kayong tratuhin isang tao na may dignidad kahit nakakulong. ‘Yan po ang aming pinaglalaban para sa inyo. Pero ang kapalit naman n’yan ay gusto namin kayo magbagong buhay (We want to treat you as human beings with dignity even though you are PDLs. that’s what we are fighting for. But in exchange, we want you to have a new lease on life),” said BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang during the culminating activity for released inmates on Monday, Dec. 30, held at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
The BuCor said that 152 PDLs were freed during the culminating activity and were among the 1,000 PDLs released from BuCor prison facilities from Nov. 26 to Dec. 30.
Meanwhile, Catapang said those convicted of heinous crimes may start reaping next year the benefits of this year’s Supreme Court (SC) ruling.
“Palakpakan natin unang-una ang Supreme Court. Sinabi ng Supreme Court dapat heinous crimes offenders pwede magtake advantage ng good conduct (Let’s applaud the Supreme Court. It has issued a ruling that declared that those who have been convicted of heinous crimes can take advantage of the good conduct credits),” he said.
With the SC ruling, Justice Secretary Remulla and his brother, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla, signed last Dec. 15 the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (RIRR) of the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law that now includes provisions allowing those convicted of heinous crimes to receive GCTA credits.