Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) needs P400 billion for its long-term plans to set up regional prisons and construct new facilities for persons convicted of heinous crimes.
In a statement, BuCor said that the plans are aimed at decongesting the bureau’s prison facilities nationwide.
It said that BuCor Director General Gregoio Pio P. Catapang Jr. is looking at “the construction of 16 regional facilities, one facility for male and one for female for every region with the exception of NCR (National Capital Region).”
It also said that Catapang seeks “the establishments of heinous crime facilities at Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation in Palayan City in Nueva Ecija for Luzon, Camp Macario B. Palta in Jamindan, Capiz for the Visayas, and Camp Kibaritan, Kalimantan in Bukidnon for Mindanao.”
“The plan is to reconfigure prison facilities to accommodate only 2,500 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) per facility,” it said.
It added that under the plan, “a portion of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Reservation in Muntinlupa City will be converted into BuCor Global City as a source of funding for their development and modernization plan and to jumpstart their long term program which will entail P400 billion.”
“This program includes the construction and rehabilitation of the current operating prison and penal farms namely Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro; San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City; Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog, Leyte; and the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Panabo, Davao Province to be able to transform it into a modern facility,” BuCor said.
It noted that “there was an increase in the total amount needed from the earlier reported P77.7 billion since there are additional facilities included in the program like the quarters for BuCor personnel and facilities for female PDLs.”
While waiting for funds, it said that Catapang has been “implementing short term solution to decongest the national penitentiary like transferring PDLs from the NBP to less congested operating prison and penal farms outside of Metro Manila.”
“At least 500 PDLs have already been transferred to Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princess, Palawan while about 7,000 more will be transferred in batches this year to Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Panabo, Davao Province and Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental, Mindoro,” it said.
“Catapang also added that they will also implement operation ‘Bilis Laya’ to expedite the processing of PDLs due for release as part of the goal spelled out by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla to provide real justice in real time,” it added. — Jeffrey Damicog
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Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
