MANILA, Philippines — As part of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)’s efforts to decongest the New Bilibid Prison, 300 NBP inmates have been transferred from the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan.
According to the bureau, the inmates, who left Manila on Dec. 8 on a commercial vessel, arrived at the prison in Puerto Princesa on Dec. 10.
“The transfer of PDLs was part of the decongestion program of BuCor director general Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr.,” BuCor said in a statement, referring to persons deprived of liberty.
The NBP is expected to be emptied of inmates by 2028 as the government aims to convert the prison into a government hub.
According to Catapang, 2,009 inmates from the NBP and the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City have been transferred so far.
Of this number, 947 were sent to Iwahig, 562 to Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro and 500 to the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao del Norte.
During the National Jail Decongestion Summit held on Dec. 6 and 7, President Marcos urged the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) to streamline and digitize its frontline and back-end services to decongest jails nationwide.
In his speech delivered by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Marcos pointed out that utilizing technology could increase productivity and minimize delays in legal procedures, which could be key to easing jail overcrowding.
For his part, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said he is hopeful that the new reforms crafted during the summit would address the “inhumane” jail conditions in the country.
A report released by the JSCC showed that 70 percent of detention facilities under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology are overcrowded by 386 percent.
In a separate report, the BuCor revealed that its prisons are overcrowded by at least 323 percent.