PHOTO: Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said that it released 632 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) this January.
According to the BuCor, 477 PDLS had expired their maximum sentence with Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA), 86 were acquitted, 26 had expired their maximum sentence, 24 were granted parole, and 19 were granted probation.
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“We hope to release more qualified PDLs once the Supreme Court resolves the issue on GCTA with regards to heinous crime offenders,” BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said.
He added that around 5,000 to 10,000 PDLs may be released once the Supreme Court gives its resolution on the issue.
“Kung maresolba yung issue na ‘yan na they are qualified, meron 5,000 to 10,000 na pwedeng makinabang na mapalaya, “ Catapang said.
(Once the issue is resolved and they are qualified, some 5,000 to 10,000 PDLs will benefit from it and can be released.)
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On the other hand, the BuCor added that it transferred 500 PDLs from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) to the Davao Prison and Penal Farm as part of its decongestion efforts.
A total of 2,902 PDLs from the NBP have been transferred thus far to other correctional facilities outside Metro Manila since June last year, the BuCor added.
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