Erwin Tulfo vows to pursue medical parole law for sick, elderly inmates
At A Glance
- Outgoing ACT-CIS Party-list representative and incoming senator Erwin Tulfo says the government ought to grant medical parole to inmates who are already 70 years old and sick.
Senator-elect Erwin Tulfo (PPAB)
Outgoing ACT-CIS Party-list representative and incoming senator Erwin Tulfo says the government ought to grant medical parole to inmates who are already 70 years old and sick.
“I will push for that. That’s a promise,” Tulfo told the inmates or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) during his visit to the Minimum Security Facility of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City last June 10.
According to Tulfo, institutionalizing a medical parole law for elderly inmates, especially those suffering from illnesses, will be among his legislative priorities as a senator in the upcoming 20th Congress.
“Elderly PDLs deserve a chance to return to society and enjoy what remains of their lives,” he emphasized.
Speaking to the PDLs, the senator-elect added: “I will help you as much as I can as your senator—not just me, but also my brother, Senator Raffy Tulfo. You have a special place in our hearts.”
Tulfo will likewise push for a correctional reform measure that would merge the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) into a single agency.
This initiative aims to decongest jails and lessen the suffering of PDLs in jam-packed prisons.
“Since BJMP and BuCor are not that coordinated, the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) you earn under BJMP is sometimes not carried over to BuCor. That prolongs your
stay. There should be a unified system so your records are continuous,” Tulfo explained.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang expressed full support for Tulfo’s proposals. He font-family: Gilroy; display: inline !important;>said such reforms could provide real solutions to the overcrowding in the country’s detention facilities.