The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said a total of 4,636 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) had died within the prison facilities from 1 January 2020 to 30 June 2024.

This was revealed by BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. yesterday. He said a total of 1,182 PDLs died in 2020; 1,166 in 2021; 925 in 2022; 876 in 2023; and 487 as of 30 June 2024.

With most of the causes of these deaths remaining unknown, Catapang welcomed the signing of the Declaration of Cooperation to Strengthen Procedures to Investigate Custodial Deaths of Persons Deprived of Liberty.

The declaration was signed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) Country Manager Daniele Marchesi, and University of the Philippines (UP) Manila Chancellor Michael L. Tee.

“We're doing something really very great, a milestone,” said Catapang who expressed commitment to cooperate in the declaration.

He said the move “can help us really assess the condition of our PDLs.”

A dead PDL under the declaration, would have to undergo a forensic autopsy first before the body is brought to a funeral parlor for embalming.