AT least 103,000 inmates or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) have been released from detention facilities under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) last year as part of efforts to decongest jails, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr said yesterday.
Abalos said 77,960 of the PDLs were released through “paralegal services” while the rest (25,333) were freed through “other paralegal modes.”
BJMP spokesman Chief Insp. Jayrex Bustinera said those released through paralegal services were due to good conduct time allowances, probation, and release on recognizance, among others.
Bustinera said the others released due to “other paralegal modes” includes were those whose cases were dismissed, those who posted bail, or those transferred to other institutions.
He said the more than 103,000 inmates were released last year.
Bustinera said the BJMP currently has 128,141 PDLs confined in 478 district, city and municipal jails nationwide.
He said jail congestion rate in BJMP facilities is 367 percent, from more than 600 percent during the peak of the war on drugs of the previous Duterte administration.
Bustinera said the BJMP is constructing additional facilities to further decongest its jails.
Abalos commended the BJMP for its continuing efforts to decongest it jails. He said congestion has long been a problem.
BJMP chief Director Allan Iral said, “BJMP is utilizing all legal means to decongest our jails, and we are grateful that President Marcos is supporting these efforts.”
