Over 500 inmates at the New Bilibid Prison–Medium Security Compound in Muntinlupa got a rare and valuable opportunity last 12 February: On-site legal assistance from the Department of Justice Action Center (DoJAC).
Dubbed the Katarungan Caravan, this legal outreach is part of a larger jail decongestion initiative led by Department of Justice (DoJ) Undersecretary Margarita N. Gutierrez.
Launched in 2024, the Caravan was designed to take legal services straight to the people who need them most — including inmates whose cases are stalled due to missing documents or lack of counsel.
Inside the prison compound, teams of DoJAC lawyers rolled up their sleeves. They reviewed case records, checked Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) applications, processed court referrals, and assessed which detainees could benefit from legal representation.
The effort was far from solo.
Support poured in from the Public Attorney’s Office, volunteer lawyers from multiple chapters of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, private law offices, and law students from top schools such as Philippine Law School, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, San Beda University, San Beda College Alabang, University of Caloocan City, Emilio Aguinaldo College and Centro Escolar University.
The Bureau of Corrections, led by director general Gregorio Catapang Jr., helped facilitate everything inside the correctional facility.
“Access to justice cannot stop at the prison gate,” Gutierrez said. “Many of these PDLs simply need guidance, proper documentation, or follow-through. That is what we are here to provide.”
Since it started, the Katarungan Caravan has reached more than 35,000 Filipinos nationwide. By April 2025, over 13,000 individuals had already received consultations, case assessments, or legal representation — all thanks to a modest P11 million allocation.
DoJAC program director Joan Guevarra emphasized how critical this hands-on approach is in tackling prison congestion. “Many PDLs have pending motions, documentation gaps, or unresolved GCTA concerns that require careful legal review,” Guevarra explained. “By bringing lawyers directly inside the facilities and working with our partners, we can move cases forward and help ease congestion in a real, tangible way.”
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida echoed the message: Justice must be humane and accessible. “Real justice for all is not confined within the four walls of a courtroom,” he said. “This government is committed to enforcing the rule of law with compassion — delivering it to those who need it most, like our reforming PDLs and other vulnerable sectors of society.”
This Bilibid visit is the second Katarungan Caravan of the year, following an earlier rollout in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija.
DoJAC plans more caravans across the country, expanding legal aid services to reach as many underserved Filipinos as possible.