FILE PHOTO: BuCor personnel wearing face masks at the New Bilibid in Muntinlupa City. INQUIRER / LYN RILLON
MANILA, Philippines — Over 200 inmates from the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa and other penal facilities have been released under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the 234 were the fourth batch of inmates freed from prison since President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. assumed power in July.
“Ito’y pang apat na pagkakataon na nagpapalaya tayo ng mga PDLs o persons deprived of liberty. Sana ito na na ‘yung huli nating pagkikita dito sa Bilibid kaya mag ayos kayo sa buhay ninyo (This is the fourth time that we are releasing PDLs or persons deprived of liberty. I hope this is the last time that I would see you here in Bilibid so better put your life in order),” Remulla said in his speech during the ceremony at the national penitentiary.
Data from BuCor showed that of the inmates released, 128 came from NBP, 47 from the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, 16 from San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City, 21 from the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City, 12 from Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, three from Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan, and seven from the Leyte Sub-Regional Prison in Abuyog, Leyte.
Out of the 234 inmates, the data showed 106 were released on parole, 104 have already completed their maximum sentence with Good Conduct Time Allowance (GTCA), and 12 were acquitted.
Eight of the 128 inmates from the NBP were acquitted, 45 served their maximum sentence with GCTA, and 71 were released on parole.
Remulla asked the BuCor to speed up the processing of the carpetas of the inmates. Carpetas are hardcopy of inmates’ records from when they are transferred to the penal facility, computations of their good conduct time allowances.
“By June 30, 2023, I want at least 5,000 na mapakawalan natin based on the work we do on a daily basis based on the carpetas that are there [By June 30, 2023, I want at least 5,000 inmates to be released based on the work we do daily on the carpetas,” he said.
Remulla said more than 2,000 carpetas were delivered for review in the first 100 days of the Marcos administration.
Another 318 names have been submitted to Malacañang for executive clemency through various acts of the President, such as parole, pardon, or commutation of sentence.