Camille Naredo

Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) Supervisors at the National Bilibid Prison-Maximum Security Compound meet with Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Dir. Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. as he introduces Corrections Sr. Inspector Purificacion Hari as Acting Superintendent for Maximum Security Prison in Muntinlupa City on April 12, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) Supervisors at the National Bilibid Prison-Maximum Security Compound
meet with Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Dir. Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. as he introduces Corrections Sr. Inspector Purificacion Hari as Acting Superintendent for Maximum Security Prison in Muntinlupa City on April 12, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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NATIONAL BILIBID PRISON

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173753484761720230412-bilibid-change-guards-hari-JC4271.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) Supervisors at the National Bilibid Prison-Maximum Security Compound meet with Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Dir. Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. as he introduces Corrections Sr. Inspector Purificacion Hari as Acting Superintendent for Maximum Security Prison in Muntinlupa City on April 12, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File"/>Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) Supervisors at the National Bilibid Prison-Maximum Security Compound meet with Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Dir. Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. as he introduces Corrections Sr. Inspector Purificacion Hari as Acting Superintendent for Maximum Security Prison in Muntinlupa City on April 12, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA — The Department of Budget and Management has committed to allot P6 billion to the Department of Justice for the construction of additional jail facilities across the country, as part of efforts to decongest prisons in Metro Manila, an official said Tuesday.Justice Secretary Raul Vasquez said that while the national government allotted P1 billion in 2025 and another P1 billion last year to build new facilities, these are still not enough to address the problem of overcrowding in jails.“Ang New Bilibid System natin is so congested, sobra-sobra ang percentage ng congestion nya, nasa 300%-400%. Worse pa ang BJMP. Ang BJMP siguro 400%, may mga certain areas na 500% pa ang capacity sa loob. At dahil dyan nagkakaroon ng mga health issues,” he said in a televised briefing.Vasquez said the construction of regional jail facilities would not only address the overcrowding problem but also help in the rehabilitation of PDLs.“Ang gagawin na dyan iregionalize na ito, because there is regionalization of jails sa batas natin eh. Ang dapat para mamaximize natin yung rehabilitation principle behind our jail system. Ibig sabihin itong rehabilitation, kapag nandun ka sa lugar mo, malapit ka sa mga mahal sa buhay, the chances for you to be brought back to mainstream society is greater than when you are in Manila and your families are in Batanes and in Jolo,” he said.“With the regionalization, mas malapit. Ang bagay na yan, it would make the visits more often, and it would further establish good connections between the PDLs and their loved ones therefore merong future na tinitignan ang PDLs natin.”<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/30/over-7-700-persons-deprived-of-liberty-released-this-2024-bucor-1146">READ: Over 7,700 PDLs released this 2024 -- BuCor</a></div>So far, at least 8,000 PDLs have already been transferred to regional jail facilities from Metro Manila jails.Vasquez also noted that a review of pending cases by the DOJ has led to the release of as many as 30,000 detention prisoners as of March 2023.“Nag-issue din ang DOJ ng circular sa aming mga prosecutors na sa first level courts—they would have file motions to withdraw or dismissal of cases, sa first level courts, iyong mga Metropolitan Trial Court, Metropolitan Circuit Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court, Municipal Courts in Cities, iyang mga iyan ay dapat na tingnan nila iyong ebidensiya na hawak nila at titingnan kung mayroon bang reasonable certainty, may prima facie evidence ba at may reasonable certainty of conviction,” he said.“Now, noong tiningnan ng ating mga Public Attorney’s Office upon our directive, upon the directive of Secretary Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla, na rebyuhin nila iyong mga records, you would not believe it – 30,000 as of March of 2023, 30,000 people as of that time were released because many of them should have been released a long time ago,” he said.The official also said ongoing efforts to digitalize the Bureau of Correction’s records system may further lead to more releases of prisoners who continue to languish in jails despite having already served their sentences. As of December 2024, some 16,000 prisoners have already been released following a review of their jail records.“Dahil sa records system sa prisons natin, may mga hindi na dapat nandun pero nakakulong pa rin. These are people who fell through the cracks, hindi nakikita sa record system,” Vasquez said.“Doon sa BuCor, tinignan lang natin ang kanilang record… bawat person deprived of liberty kasi may tinatawag na record, may karpeta na tinatawag. Pero sa dami nyan at sa pisikal na nandyan, hindi mo madedetermina ngayon kailan pumasok, dapat na bang umalis, etc. So kapag nadigitalize yan at ganon ang nangyari nakita natin na dapat mas mabilis na ang pag-alis,” he added.

The Department of Budget and Management has committed to allot P6 billion to the Department of Justice for the construction of additional jail facilities across the country, as part of efforts to decongest prisons in Metro Manila, an official said Tuesday.

The Department of Budget and Management has committed to allot P6 billion to the Department of Justice for the construction of additional jail facilities across the country, as part of efforts to decongest prisons in Metro Manila, an official said Tuesday.

DOJ says DBM has committed P6-B for the construction of jail facilities in 2026

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DOJ says DBM has committed P6-B for the construction of jail facilities in 2026

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 22, 2025 04:38 PM PHT

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