Catapang seeks international collaboration

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. welcomed a delegation from the Ministry of Justice of Japan at the New Bilibid Prison on Friday in a display of international cooperation aimed at strengthening collaboration in justice and correctional management.

Assistant Vice Minister Tsutsumu Yoshiyuki expressed a keen interest in understanding the intricacies of the Philippine justice system, highlighting the importance of cross-border knowledge-sharing.

During the meeting, Catapang inquired about Japan’s management of incarcerated individuals, seeking insights into its penal system.

He also discussed the unique structure of incarceration in the Philippines, where individuals serving shorter sentences are held in local jails managed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, while longer-term persons deprived of liberty are confined in facilities managed by BuCor.