Bucor relocates 450 inmates to Iwahig Prison in decongestion effort

The Bureau of Corrections’ (BuCor) New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. (INQUIRER file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) transferred 450 persons deprived of liberties (PDLs) from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) and the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on Saturday.

The transfer included 396 PDLs from the NBP’s medium security compound, four from its maximum security compound, and 50 from the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City.

This move is part of the bureau’s “Oplan Lipatan” program, designed to alleviate congestion in penal facilities and to isolate PDLs involved in heinous activities.

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Bucor Director General Gregorio P. Catapang Jr. mentioned this is also in line with plans to shut down the NBP and the CIW by 2028 and transform them into a commercial development named BuCor Global City and a government center.

“We really need to close NBP since it is no longer practical for us to stay here where high-end residential subdivisions are now located and the residents around the area are apprehensive and fear for their safety should a prisoner escape,” Catapang said.

Bucor noted that with the recent transfer, over 1,500 PDLs have now been relocated to the IPPF and the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro.