267 PDLs freed by BuCor
AROUND 267 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from various prison facilities under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) were released on Monday, as part of the government’s effort to address overcrowding in prisons.
Bucor said the release of PDLs were released for different reasons, including the completion of their maximum sentence with good conduct time allowance, parole, acquittal, and expiration of their maximum sentence.
Of the released PDLs, 128 were from the New Bilibid Prison, 44 from the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, 40 from the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm, and 22 from the Correctional Institution for Women, according to a statement by the BuCor.
The culminating activity was attended by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, BuCor officer-in-charge Gregorio Catapang, Public Attorney’s chief Persida Acosta, and Senator Imee Marcos.
The latest release of PDLs was the fifth time that BuCor organized its culminating program for the year 2023.
In January, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release more qualified PDLs to ease overcrowding in the country’s prisons.
He noted that many PDLs were languishing in jail because they could not afford the services of good lawyers.
The BuCor is administratively supervised by the Department of Justice (DOJ) as stipulated by law.
