BuCor releases 234 prisoners
HE Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) released on Thursday 234 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from various prisons and penal farms all over the country.
TThis is the fourth batch of PDLs released from prison since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed office.
Of the 234 PDLs released, 106 were released on parole, 104 have served their maximum sentence with Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA), while 12 were acquitted.
Most of those released were from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), numbering 128 PDLs.
This was followed by the Davao wPrhisiloen21anPdDLPsenwaelreFafrrommatthe47CoPrDreLcstional Institute for Women.
Other PDLs were released from San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga (16), Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro (12), Leyte Regional Farm (7), and Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan (3).
Of the PDLs released from the NBP, eight were acquitted, 71 were freed on parole, and 45 have served their maximum sentence with GCTA.
The release of the PDLs was part of the move by the Department of Justice to decongest jail facilities in the country.
“This is the fourth time that we are releasing PDLs or persons deprived of liberty. I hope this is the last time that I will see you here in Bilibid so better put your life in order,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in his speech during the ceremony at the NBP.
In September, more than 350 PDLs were released, many of whom had already served their sentences if not for procedural oversights.
Remulla said he is committed to continue regular releases and aim to have 5,000 persons released by June 2023.
“By June 30, 2023, I want at least 5,000 inmates to be released based on the work we do daily on the carpetas,” he said.
He disclosed that the DoJ is studying the possibility of implementing “supervised releases” for PDLs above 65 years old, excluding those convicted for sexual offenses.
“Except for the new ones entering the prison. Usually, those who are convicted at that age in our studies involved sexual offenses. It’s different when it comes to sexual offenses because this is a scourge in society,” he said.
So far, 5,301 PDLs have been released this year.
Remulla further disclosed that the number of inmates recommended for executive clemency could reach 600 before the end of the year.
However, Remulla said President Marcos has yet to approved any recomendations for clemency.
“I will talk to the executive secretary in the first week of December to have a dialogue with him about all of the recommendations for clemency,” Remulla said.
“I think we might arrive at 600 clemencies already by the time December comes in,” he added.