Despite Duterte's views on inmates, BuCor mandated to reform, rehabilitate

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday night claimed that prisoners who have been behind bars for years are beyond help.

In a speech during the 23rd anniversary of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the president said that prisoners "have lost the essence of a person."

"'Pag-sanay na sila na — anim, pito, sampung taon, 15, 20 years — they are in prison maski anong klaseng hanapbuhay ituro mo d'yan sa TESDA once they are out... maghanap lang 'yan ng... trouble," Duterte said.

Duterte added that freed prisoners would just look for trouble once they get free to get incarcerated again.

"Mag holdup lang 'yan uli ng one time mag-enjoy, mag-inom, magsabong tapos payag na 'yan silang makulong uli," he said.

BuCor's mandate

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), however, is mandated to institute reformation programs for national inmates such as moral and spiritual; education and training; work and livelihood; sports and recreation; health and welfare and behavior modification programs.

The bureau said on its website that it offers agricultural to industrial programs to keep inmates busy and to provide them money for their personal expenses and their money.

The work and livelihood program also allows inmates to acquire skills in order for them to become productive citizens after their release.

For example, inmates at the Davao Penal Colony work on the banana plantations of Tagum Development Company, which has a joint venture with the BuCor. Inmates at the Iwahig Penal Colony in Puerto Princesa City till its lands and produce various agricultural products.

"Along this end, the bureau under the present director has encouraged agricultural and industrial production by providing farming implements, tractors, fertilizers and other inputs in order to sustain this area of rehabilitation for inmates," the BuCor said on its official website.

Education and skills training for job eligibility

On the other hand, the bureau's education and skills training seek to provide inmates with skills that will improve their eligibility for jobs when they are released.

"If inmates are to reenter society and abstain from criminal activity, they must be employable and have the basic tools necessary to function as responsible citizens," BuCor said.

Under Republic Act 10575 or the Bureau of Corrections Act of 2013, the reformation programs for inmates shall be undertaken by professional reformation personnel consisting of corrections technical officers.

The law declares that it "is the policy of the State to promote the general welfare and safeguard the basic rights of every prisoner incarcerated in our national penitentiary by promoting and ensuring their reformation and social reintegration, creating an environment conducive to rehabilitation."

The president referred to such programs as "positivist theory" and claimed that it has been debunked.

"It is basically retribution. Ang America... Canada, ang kanila is positivist theory na itong criminal na ito puwede pa itong ma-rehabilitate. You can make useful human being out of him when he goes out of prison which has really been debunked as negative," Duterte said.

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In November, Duterte granted actor and supporter Robin Padilla an absolute pardon for an illegal possession of firearms conviction in 1994.

“Robin Padilla has changed since he was a restless soul at that time, several years ago. He has changed a lot. So I think he deserves this absolute pardon.” he said then.