BuCor supports plan for ASEAN Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons
The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) expressed its full support to the adoption of the Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (TTSP) with other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In a statement on Sunday, April 5, the BuCor said the move to have a TTSP with all ASEAN members is “a significant stride toward enhancing cooperation on criminal justice matters within the region.”
The Philippines has TTSPs with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Spain, and Thailand, a member of ASEAN.
The United Arab Emirates also signed a TTSP with the Philippines which still needs concurrence by the Senate.
The TTSPs with Canada and the United Kingdom have yet to enter into force, the Department of Justice (DOJ) had earlier said.
The Philippines and six other ASEAN members have started negotiations on a proposed TTSP.
The first meeting of the technical working group on TTSP was held in Manila for three days until March 27 by representatives from the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
The DOJ said that under the proposed TTSP, “sentenced persons who are citizens of like-minded ASEAN member states, including Filipinos, may be transferred to their home countries to serve the remainder of their sentences.”
It said the “mechanism promotes social reintegration and rehabilitation by allowing persons deprived of liberty to remain closer to their families and within familiar cultural and social environments.”
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. admitted that “Filipinos detained in foreign correctional facilities often face numerous challenges, including cultural and language barriers, separation from family, and unfamiliar legal and penal systems.”
These challenges, he said, can hinder their rehabilitation process and emotional well-being, making it difficult for them to achieve the personal transformation necessary for successful reintegration into society.
“By allowing these individuals to serve their sentences in the Philippines, we provide them with the opportunity to undergo reformation in an environment that is culturally familiar and supportive,” he also said.