A TOTAL of 328 inmates from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City and other prisons operated by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) regained their freedom yesterday as part of overall efforts of the Department of Justice and the BuCor to decongest the prison facilities.
Data provided by the BuCor showed that of the total number of released inmates, 32 were from the NBP’s maximum security compound, 52 from the medium security compound, 31 from the minimum security compound, and three from the regional diagnostic center.
Seventy-six were from the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao, 44 from the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan, 24 from the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro, and 28 from the Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog, Leyte.
The BuCor said 23 were from San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City and 13 from the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City.
Of the 328 inmates, 129 were released on parole while the rest were able to complete their maximum sentence with good conduct and time allowance and granted parole.
Eight were acquitted.
The BuCor data also showed that 33 of the released inmates are senior citizens.
The group is the fifth batch of inmates to be released under the jail decongestion program of the DOJ and the BuCor since the Marcos administration started.
Last September, the DOJ and the BuCor processed the release of 371 inmates in time for the birthday celebration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. On September 13.
Last month, 234 inmates were also released and 357 in October.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he is hoping the release of inmates would average between 700 and 800 monthly.
He said he is in constant communication with Persida Acosta, chief of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), as to what other measures can be taken to further decongest the national penitentiary and other BuCor-operated prison facilities.
PAO lawyers are helping the DOJ review the inmates’ individual records.
“Actually, there are a lot of people who are not supposed to be in jail and they are being given pardon just to shorten the process for their release,” Remulla said.
Remulla said the DOJ and the BuCor are eyeing the grant of clemency to at least 2,000 within the first quarter of 2023. He previously committed to release around 5,000 inmates by June 2023 as part of the BuCor’s prison decongestion policy.
