A total of 459 PDLs transferred from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on February 17, 2023. (Photo courtesy of BuCor.)
MANILA, Philippines — Some 459 inmates were transported from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on Saturday night in a bid to decongest the maximum security compound, according to the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. reported that this brings the total number of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) transferred to another operating prison and penal farm of the agency since January to 1,254.
“All the PDLs arrived safely at IPPF except for one diagnosed with Hypokalemia (someone with low amount of potassium in their blood). He was brought to the IPPF in an ambulance,” he said.
Catapang disclosed that transferring inmates to facilities outside Metro Manila is an initiative to alleviate the overcrowding problem in NBP as they wait for more budget to construct regional correctional facilities.
He added that the manpower needs of the Reformation Initiative for Sustainable Environment (RISE) for the Food Security project of Iwahig will also be addressed by the recent transfer of inmates.
READ: BuCor sends 500 inmates from Muntinlupa to Iwahig penal farm
Admission rate higher than releases
The problem with overcrowding also stems from the higher admission rate in the maximum security compound, according to Catapang.
He revealed that over the past years, BuCor’s data showed that each year, they release 5,327 inmates and admit an average of 7,823.
“Under these conditions, PDL population will continue to grow at steady rates, making regionalization the most potent solution,” Catapang said.