Facade of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), with the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) sign. Image from the BuCor website
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla on Monday said personnel from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) that were deployed at the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) might soon return to their mother unit.
BJMP personnel were deployed at BuCor following the appointment of Gerald Bantag in 2019. A memorandum of agreement was signed between BuCor and BJMP to augment BuCor personnel and help institute reforms at the controversial government bureau.
Remulla said the MOA had already expired last month.
“They [BJMP] can already return to their units,” Remulla said.
But for now, Remulla said the officer-in-charge Gregorio Catapang Jr., might request to retain the BJMP personnel.
“We will decide on that matter after the request is made by the officer-in-charge,” Remulla said.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government supervises BJMP and has the sole jurisdiction and authority in jail facilities in local government units.
Detainees under the BJMPs jurisdiction are those arrested for undergoing inquest proceedings, preliminary investigations and whose cases are still under trial. Once convicted, they will be transferred to the jail facilities of BuCor, an attached agency of the Department of Justice.
Aside from NBP, BuCor’s other operating units include Abuyog Penal Colony in Leyte, Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City, Iwahig Prison, and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro, San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City and the Davao Prison and Penal Farm.
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