THE Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) yesterday said it has released from prison 46 Muslim inmates since the start of the Ramadan last month.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said that to date, 754 Muslim prisoners have regained their freedom since the start of the Marcos administration in July 2022.
Catapang said that of those released last month, 20 were for expiration of prison sentences, 12 were acquitted, five due to probation, four due to parole, and five through good conduct and time allowance (GCTA).
Catapang also said the Board of Pardon and Parole last April 3 recommended the grant of executive clemency to 23 other Muslim inmates.
BuCor data showed there are 3,014 Muslim inmates in the New Bilibid Prison and six other operating prison and penal farms in the country as of February 29, 2024, which is 5.69 percent out of the 52,950 total number of inmates under the watch of the BuCor.
Of these, 1,121 are confined at the NBP in Muntinlupa City, 752 at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, 698 in San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City, 202 in the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City, 144 at the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan, 81 at the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro, and 16 in the Leyte Regional Prison.
Last February, Presidential Adviser on Muslim Affairs Almarim Tillah proposed to the BuCor a separate detention facility for Muslim inmates in the country.
Tillah said having a separate detention facility could significantly benefit Muslim inmates, particularly in the preservation of their culture even inside the prison and penal institutions.
He also said that having a separate prison for Muslim inmates would lead to better prison management, the protection and safety of inmates, and minimize the risk of violence and conflict.
Tillah likewise cited Muslim religious practices such as having to pray five times daily, as well as having to prepare Halal meals, and fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said while he is supportive of the proposal, it needs further study, especially since it would also involve budgetary allocation from the national government to construct a separate prison facility for Muslim inmates.
The DOJ chief said another issue is the possibility that other religious groups would also ask the government to construct a separate facility to house their inmate-members if Tillah’s proposal is approved.
For his part, Catapang assured the Muslim community that Muslim inmates are allowed to practice their faith and customs.
