Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Adrian Ayalin

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178487019743020260724030724_e8e3f342d4e84fa9eb243d53151cd649b36086631ebc14371cd5ecf25dae69ac.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim said most of the political prisoners in the NBP have relatives residing in mainland Luzon, including Bicol provinces and Metro Manila. <em>Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE)</strong> — Relatives of political prisoners and activist group Kapatid asked the Department of Justice on Friday not to transfer their relatives to remote prison facilities amid the impending closure of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/12/05/20/suppression-drive-cpp-calls-for-release-of-echanis-other-political-prisoners">‘Suppression drive’: CPP calls for release of Echanis, other political prisoners</a></div><p>The group trooped to the DOJ to hand over a letter addressed to Secretary Fredderick Vida.</p><p>The Bureau of Corrections, an agency under the DOJ, is currently transferring Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) to various prison and penal farms in Occidental Mindoro, Palawan ang Zamboanga City.</p><p>Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim said most of the political prisoners in the NBP have relatives residing in mainland Luzon, including Bicol provinces and Metro Manila.</p><p>“OK kami sa regionalization pero ibig sabihin niyan under the Mandela Rules kung saan nakatira, kailangan irespeto ng estado ng Bureau of Corrections, ng Department of Justice na under the Mandela Rules kung saan nakatira ang pamilya mo ay doon ka ilagay,” Lim said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/21/groups-slam-cayetano-for-labelling-marcoleta-jinggoy-political-prisoners-1449">&#x27;A grave insult&#x27;: Groups slam Cayetano for labelling Marcoleta, Jinggoy &#x27;political prisoners&#x27;</a></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F2544471195991470%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Lim said around 10 political prisoners have already been transferred to other prisons while 45 remain in the NBP but are also set to be transferred.</div><p>Among those who asked the DOJ not to transfer her husband to a far-flung area was Liza Arambulo, a resident of Laguna.</p><p>“Mahihirapan po kami sa pagdalaw, dito nga lang na malapit hindi ko siya mapuntahan, hindi ko rin po maano iyong mga kailangan niya kaya hinihiling po namin huwag na lang mapalipat,” Arambulo said.</p><p>As of July 2026, the BuCor said it has already transferred 16,530 PDLs to various prisons since 2022.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BUCOR RESPONDS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>In a statement, BuCor director general Gregorio Pio Catapang reiterated that the transfer of PDLs is part of the bureau’s decongestion program.</p><p>“This program includes initiatives such as the Bilis Laya Program, the Inmate Redistribution Program to balance populations across facilities, and a regionalization plan that involves constructing separate regional penitentiary facilities,” Catapang said.</p><p>Catapang also noted that under Republic Act No. 11928 or Separate Facility for Heinous Crimes Act, the Bucor’s mandate is to build specialized, highly secure penitentiaries for high-level offenders.</p><p>He further noted that the law requires the establishment of at least three isolated facilities—one each in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao which are completely segregated from the general prison population to ensure better management and security.</p><p>“Through these measures, the Bureau of Corrections aims to improve prison conditions, reduce overcrowding, and maintain a just and orderly correctional system in the Philippines,” Catapang said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cONMfK8nrDs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sqGwfsCUrOY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim said most of the political prisoners in the NBP have relatives residing in mainland Luzon.</p>

Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim said most of the political prisoners in the NBP have relatives residing in mainland Luzon.

Families of political prisoners ask DOJ not to transfer relatives to remote prisons

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Families of political prisoners ask DOJ not to transfer relatives to remote prisons

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 24, 2026 01:19 PM PHT

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Updated July 24, 2026 04:29 PM PHT

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political prisoners

National Bilibid Prison

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