FIVE hundred inmates from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City and the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City arrived in Puerto Princesa City last Wednesday night aboard a commercial vessel, the Bureau of Corrections said yesterday.
The 500 is the first batch of the 2,500 inmates from the national penitentiary that will be transferred to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) and other penal farms across the country as part of efforts to decongest the NBP and pave the way for its eventual closure and transformation into a commercial and business center in 2028.
“This year up to 2028 hopefully mailabas na natin ang lahat ng mga nasa Bilibid kasi nga Muntinlupa has become more of a commercial area rather than a prison facility,” said BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr., who personally oversaw the transfer.
“This is also in line with the BuCor’s regionalization process where a person deprived of liberty will be sent by the government to a facility or penal farm of his origin or near his origin,” he added.
Male inmates — 450 of them — will be eventually distributed to the IPPF’s sub-colonies in Iwahig, Inagawan and Montible while the 50 female inmates from CIW would be housed in the Iwahig sub-colony of Sta. Lucia.
Catapang said the CIW would also eventually be closed as the area it is located is also becoming a commercial area.
“Isasama na ring isasara ang CIW kasi congested na din ‘yun (The CIW will also eventually be closed as it is becoming congested),” he added.
A presentation paper of BuCor earlier said a total of 18,625 inmates are eyed to be transferred until 2028 to the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm, Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog, Southern Leyte, IPPF, Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao del Norte, San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City.
Under the plan, once the PDLs are transferred, the NBP reservation in Muntinlupa City will be converted into a government center and a commercial and business center.
The move also saw the transfer of 120 BuCor jail personnel to Iwahig.
They were part of the 700 jail guards at the NBP who were relieved by Catapang due to various infractions.
They underwent re-training and reformation program before they were re-deployed to Iwahig and other penal colonies.
