ADVERTISEMENT
BuCor eyes transferring over 17K PDLs to isolated jail for heinous crimes
By JOVILAND RITA,GMA NewsThe Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Thursday said it is expecting to transfer more than 17,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) to the planned isolated prison for heinous crimes.
At a public briefing, BuCor public information office chief Julie Taguiam said the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) - Maximum Security Compound currently has a total of 17,490 PDLs.
“Doon sa target, base na rin sa ating data ngayon, ang NBP maximum kasi meron tayong 17,490 as of now na nakakulong sa ating maximum compound, so inaasahan natin na sana ang numero na ito ay mai-transfer natin sa heinous crime facility,” she said.
(Regarding the target, based on our data right now, the NBP Maximum Security Compound has 17,490 PDLs as of now, so we are expecting that hopefully this number would be transferred to a heinous crimes facility.)
The proposed Separate Facility for Heinous Crimes Inmates Act recently lapsed into law.
With this law, a separate facility is set to be built in a suitable location to be determined by the Secretary of Justice
ADVERTISEMENT
The government targets to build the facility within a military establishment or an island separate from the mainland. The jail will be located in a “secured and isolated place” to ensure that there is no unwarranted contact or communication from outside of the institution.
According to Taguiam, the Department of Justice and the BuCor has stated its preparation for the creation of the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) of the law, which may be completed in 90 days.
She said the new law will help decongest the NBP that currently has a congestion rate of more than 300%.
Taguiam said visitation would still be allowed inside the isolated jail for heinous criminals.
Meanwhile, Taguiam welcomed the move of the DOJ submitting a list of PDLs whom it believes are qualified to be given clemency. She said it would also help decongest jails. — RSJ, GMA News