459 NBP inmates transferred to Iwahig

459 NBP inmates transferred to Iwahig | Daily Tribune

The Bureau of Corrections revealed on Sunday that it has transferred at least 459 persons deprived of liberty from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa, Palawan last Saturday night.

BuCor director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. said that the recent transfer of inmates brings to 1,254 the number of PDLS transferred to other operating prison and penal farm of the agency since January of this year.

He added that based on a report submitted to him by acting NBP Superintendent CCINSP Roger Boncales, all the PDLs arrived safely at IPPF except for one who was diagnosed with hypokalemia, who was brought in the IPPF in an ambulance.

Hypokalemia is when the amount of potassium in one’s blood is too low.

Catapang said the transfer of PDLs outside of Metro Manila is a stop-gap measure in alleviating overcrowding in the NBP while awaiting budget for the construction of regional correction facilities as part of its medium and long-term development and modernization plan.

He added that the transfer of PDLs to IPPF will also support the manpower needs of Iwahig its Reformation Initiative for Sustainable Environment for Food Security project.

Citing BuCor’s data over the past five years, Catapang admitted the average number of PDL releases was at 5,327 per annum while the average number of PDL admitted was at 7,823 yearly — which means that the rate of admission in BuCor was significantly higher than the number of releases.

“Under these conditions, PDL population will continue to grow at steady rates making regionalization the most potent solution,” Catapang said.

The BuCor — under the guidance of Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla — released a total of 11,347 PDLs from June 2022 to January 2024 under the “Bilis Laya” Program.

Catapang also explained that with the extensive marathon meetings of Management screening and Evaluation Committee in all BuCor’s OPPF, more and more PDL will be eventually released upon evaluation of their Good Conduct Time Allowance.

He also said that from 1 to 30 January 2024, 632 PDLs were released from confinement bureau wide — at least 11.4 percent higher than the 20-month average releases of 567 PDLs.