MANILA, Philippines?The Bureau of Immigration said Tuesday that only 67 aliens remain in the agency?s jail in Bicutan, Taguig City.

In a statement sent to media, Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said the number of inmates dropped to its lowest as of Sept. 30 owing largely to the bureau?s policy of immediately deporting foreigners arrested for violating Philippine immigration laws.

This, he said was part of the bureau?s policy to decongest its jail by deporting illegal aliens within three months from the date of arrest provided there is no legal impediment to deportation.

Libanan added that an alien?s deportation is delayed if the foreigner is facing a civil or criminal case.

A decongestion of the jail, the commissioner said, can lead to improved living conditions for detainees.

Libanan said that when he assumed office in May last year, there were more than 160 foreigners in the jail which was built to accommodate only 80 inmates.

After assessing the living conditions in the jail, Libanan formed a special committee of immigration legal officers to review the cases of the detainees so they could be sent back to their home countries if there are no more legal impediments or obstacles to their deportation.