BuCor plans to separate inmates based on crime
MANILA — The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is planning to separate persons deprived of liberty (PDL) according to the crime they committed as part of reforms in the state penitentiary following a series of controversies.
BuCor officer-in-charge Gregorio Pio Catapang, Jr. said there is already a regionalization plan to decongest the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), which can only accommodate 6,000 inmates but currently detaining roughly 30,000.
This includes the separation of PDLs who committed heinous crimes such as murder, rape and drug-related violations in each region.
“Sa tatlong region na ‘yun (Luzon, Visayas, at Mindanao), mamimili tayo, saan ba ‘yung drugs, saan ba ‘yung rape, saka saan ba ‘yung murder. Hindi namin sila pagsasama-samahin. So maghi-hiwalay-hiwalay ‘yang mga ‘yan,” Catapang said.
BuCor has already identified areas of regionalization, which include Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Davao region.
The regional prisons will also have maximum, medium and minimum facilities.
A facility at military reservation Fort Ramon Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija could be utilized as early as “early next year,” according to Catapang.
“Dito sa Region 3, pinakiusapan po ni Secretary (Jesus Crispin Remulla of the Department of Justice) sa level nila through DOH (Department of Health), at saka Department of National Defense na magamit namin ‘yung tinayo sa seventh division na facility for drug addict na hindi naman nagagamit,” Catapang said.
Remulla said the regionalization will make it easier for PDLs’ families and loved ones to visit them.
“Ito (NBP) marahil ang pinakamalaki sa Asya at isa sa pinakamalaki sa mundo. Nahihirapan ang ating pamilya dumalaw lalong lalo na kung malayo ang pinanggagalingan,” he said.
The regionalization of prisons is also seen to address the piling up of remains of dead PDLs that are unclaimed supposedly due to transportation issues of their loved ones.
“Ang nagiging problema nga po, siguro po kasi wala na pong relatives na pumupunta [para kunin ang bangkay]. Either tawiddagat or nag-iba na po ng address,” Senior Supt. Ma. Cecilia Villanueva, BuCor’s health and welfare services director, said.
“Mas madadalaw sila. Mas mabibilis silang marereintegrate sa society dahil taga-doon sila. Pangatlo, hindi naman natin gustong mangyari, ‘pag namatay sila, madali silang makukuha, hindi na tawid-dagat,” Catapang said.
The BuCor on Friday, November 25, buried 60 cadavers of PDLs that were not claimed by their relatives from a funeral parlor in Muntinlupa City.
The bodies were among the 176 remains earlier found piled up at the funeral parlor during the investigation into the death of Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the murder of journalist Percy Lapid.
At present, there are still around 100 cadavers left at the funeral parlor.
Sixty of these are set to be buried next Friday, December 2.
“‘Yung matitira po is more than 40. ‘Yun po kung sakali na may dumating na relative, hihingi po kami ng consent na kung pwede po ipaautopsy,” Villanueva said.
Remulla earlier ordered the autopsy of the remains following a report that at least two to three people die almost every day at the NBP.