Manila – The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has released a total of 74,590 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from January to October 2023, as part of efforts to decongest jail facilities.
According to Philippines News Agency, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. stated on Tuesday that these releases have contributed to a significant decrease in the BJMP's jail congestion rate, which dropped from 281 percent in January to 238 percent in October. The released individuals include 7,647 PDLs who were bailed out; 10,592 serving sentences with time allowances; and 18,290 serving without time allowances.
Additionally, 6,249 PDLs were acquitted, and 7,591 were transferred to various facilities such as the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), youth detention centers, the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), and drug reformation centers. Others were released on parole, probation, permanent or provisional dismissal, recognizance, community service, or through other modes.
Abalos commended the BJMP for providing legal and paralegal services, aiding in the decongestion of prisons. He emphasized the need for comprehensive programs to reform inmates, encouraging them to become productive members of society and avoid reoffending. The focus, according to Abalos, is on correction rather than the construction of new jails.