SOJ: Separate prison for heinous crime convicts ‘game changer’

JUSTICE Secretary interview over Radyo Menardo Guevarra described Pilipinas on Saturday. the proposal of two “Kasi iyon ang senators to have a separate magbibigay-daan sa mga facility for those convicted malalaking reporma na of heinous crimes as a pupuwede nating gawin “game changer” noting that eh (Because that is going this would help authorities to pave the way for bigger institute reforms in the reforms that we can do),” country’s prison systems. he added.

“Isang Guevarra said with a malaking turning new facility for heinous point ang paglilipat crime convicts, authorities niyang present would be able to put in penitentiary natin, national place stronger “safeguards” penitentiary to a new place compared to those in the (The transfer of heinous “constrained” New Bilibid crimes convicts to a new Prison (NBP). place is a big turning “Kung sakali na point),” Guevara said in an lumagay tayo sa isang lugar na mas maluwang, mas secure, na pupuwede nating ihiwalay talaga iyong mga hardened criminals doon sa mga hindi naman talaga mabibigat ang kaso, malagyan ng mga necessary facilities para ma-monitor kung mayroong mga kalokohang na nangyayari (If we can place them in a place that is more spacious, more secure, where we can separate hardened criminals from those with lighter cases, we can have facilities to monitor whether there are anomalies happening inside) like illegal drug trading and so forth and so on,” Guevarra said.

“Parang game changer in my opinion kung sakaling matuloy ang paglilipat ng ating national penitentiary to a new place para lahat ng reporma na gusto nating gawin ay maisakatuparan natin sa isang bagong lugar (In my opinion, it’s a game changer if our national penitentiary is transferred to a new place so that all reforms can be implemented in this new place),” he added.

Earlier, Senators Richard Gordon and Juan Miguel Zubiri filed separate bills meant to create a separate facility for heinous crime convicts to isolate them and prevent them from committing more crimes.

Gordon said the maximum penal institution should be located in Fort Ramon Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija which is the largest military reservation in the country.

He is also pushing for the digitization of criminal records.

Gordon’s proposed Senate Bill 983 will ensure “control” of criminals to give the public a sense of security.

Meanwhile, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri also filed Senate Bill 1004 noting how well-off prisoners continue to “live a luxurious life within the confines of our prison system.”

Zubiri said the botched release of convicted rapistmurderer, former Calauan mayor Antonio Sanchez, has opened eyes to corrupt practices in the country’s prison systems./pna