ANOTHER 500 inmates from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City were transferred on Monday to the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City as part of efforts to decongest the national penitentiary
Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said the transfer involved 56 inmates from the maximum-security camp and 444 from the medium-security camp of the NBP.
They were secured by 141 escorts led by BuCor C/Insp. Henry Avila for the journey to Zamboanga.
Catapang said the move aims not only to decrease overcrowding within the NBP but also to facilitate a smoother transition for the inmates as they adjust to new environments.
“The recent relocation is just one phase in BuCor’s extensive plan to reallocate persons deprived of liberty across various facilities,” the BuCor chief said.
Catapang disclosed that before the end of April this year, there will be additional transfers from Bilibid that include 300 inmates to Palawan Prison and Penal Farm, 400 to Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm, and another 300 to Davao Prison and Penal Farm.
“This systematic redistribution is aimed at alleviating the burden on the NBP while ensuring that humane treatment and rehabilitation programs continue for all inmates,” he added.
The decongestion of the national penitentiary is also part of the latter’s eventual closure in 2028.
Catapang also said that by addressing the issues of overcrowding, Bucor believes it can create a more manageable and rehabilitative environment for inmates under its care.
“Under the Bagong Bucor sa Bagong Pilipinas, our goal remains clear: to transform the correctional landscape in the Philippines into a system that prioritizes rehabilitation over punishment,” Catapang said.
The latest transferees brought to almost 10,000 the total number of Bilibid inmates transferred to various operating and prison farms (OPPFs) since 2022.
