DOJ welcomes House probe on Bucor alleged abuses

The Department of Justice (DOJ) welcomed the congressional investigation into alleged abuses at the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), as it will support any initiative aimed at improving its attached agencies.

This was according to a message by Justice Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Atty. Mico Clavano in connection with the issue.

Clavano said, “We are always supportive for any effort to improve the service of the Department and any of its attached agencies.”

It was in response to a resolution filed by opposition lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives.

The resolution calls for a formal inquiry into what it describes as a “pattern of abuse” within the BuCor, which is one of the DOJ’s attached agencies.

The resolution, authored by Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio, among others, claims that the BuCor has been neglecting inmates’ rights under its current leadership.

Specific allegations include inadequate medical care, abusive practices like degrading strip searches on visitors, and a refusal to engage with human rights monitors.

Lawmakers who filed the resolution noted that its timing is crucial as it precedes the upcoming budget deliberations for the DOJ.

Lawmakers launch congressional probe into BuCor abuses, advocate blacklisting

The resolution also seeks answers on BuCor’s recent ban of a prison reform advocate from the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW).

The lawmakers claim that BuCor, under Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr., neglects the basic rights of inmates, especially political prisoners.

The resolution alleges a number of issues that includes, among others, inadequate medical care for elderly and sick detainees, degrading strip searches on women visitors, and a refusal to engage with human rights monitors.

Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim, who denies any wrongdoing, was publicly banned from a corrections facility, with her photo displayed at the entrance marked “banned.”

She insists that her actions, such as delivering food to inmates, are humanitarian and not illegal.

Earlier, it was announced that the agency is taking proactive steps to address claims made by Kapatid, a support group for political prisoners, regarding the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) program.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. acknowledged that while Kapatid’s allegations lack specific details about which facilities they concern, he remains committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in GCTA implementation.

Since taking office, Catapang has initiated significant reforms to improve oversight. These include establishing a National/Central Management, Screening and Evaluation Committee, and local committees in each BuCor facility.

As an example of these reforms, Catapang cited the New Bilibid Prison, where the Management Screening and Evaluation Committee (MSEC) operates with a clearly defined framework. The committee includes six chairpersons — four overseeing the Maximum Security Compound, and one each for Medium and Minimum Security.