A total of 562 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) had been released by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) from its prison facilities for the month of June this year.
In a statement, the BuCor said that of those released “321 had served their maximum sentence, 121 had been acquitted, 98 had been paroled, 21 had been granted probation, and one had been granted executive clemency (conditional pardon).”
As of June 30, 2024, a total of 14,637 PDLs had been freed under the “Bilis Laya” program which was implemented by BuCor at the start of the administration of President Marcos in June 2022.
“Of the 14,637 released, 8,129 had expired maximum sentence; 3,592 had been paroled; 2,468 had been acquitted of their criminal charges; 356 had been granted probation; 52 had been granted executive clemency through commutation of sentence'; seven had been granted executive clemency through conditional pardon; 35 had been temporarily freed through bail; seven had been freed on habeas corpus petitions; and 21 had been freed by posting cash and bail bonds," BuCor said.
Meanwhile, BuCor said that Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. continues to improve its prisons nationwide with the construction of more facilities meant to decongest and raise the welfare of the prison population.
Also, it said that Catapang expanded the online communication of inmates with their families through e-Dalaw.
It added that the expansion of the e-Dalaw system is geared towards reducing possible risks like smuggling of prohibited items during in-person contacts.