BuCor releases 1,156 PDLs in latest batch
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The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has released 1,156 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from 12 June to 17 July, bringing the total number of inmates freed under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to 33,919, Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said Friday.
Among those released in the latest batch were 79 Muslim PDLs, increasing the total number of Muslim inmates released since 30 June 2022 to 2,032.
Catapang said the releases were carried out through various legal mechanisms, including 929 inmates who completed their sentences, 83 acquittals, 80 paroles, 48 habeas corpus releases, 15 probation grants, and one transfer of custody.
The highest number of releases came from the New Bilibid Prison, with 437 inmates freed, followed by the Davao Prison and Penal Farm with 279, Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm with 141, Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm with 102, San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm with 91, Leyte Regional Prison with 48, the Correctional Institution for Women with 57, and the Correctional Institution for Women-Mindanao with one.
Catapang said the inclusion of Muslim PDLs in the release program reflects BuCor's commitment to ensuring equitable treatment and support for all inmates.
During the release ceremony, Board of Pardons and Parole Chairman Sergio Calizo Jr. reminded parolees to regularly report to their respective Parole and Probation Administration offices to facilitate their reintegration into society.
He said the agency helps parolees participate in programs designed to improve their chances of rebuilding their lives after incarceration.
Calizo also commended Catapang for reforms within BuCor, particularly the digitalization of the "carpeta," or the official inmate record, saying it has streamlined documentation, improved efficiency and strengthened transparency in the processing of inmate records.
He likewise cited the Zamboanga Prison and Penal Farm as a model correctional facility, praising the professionalism of personnel, the discipline of inmates and the cleanliness of the institution.
