CHIEF Justice Alexander Gesmundo said the justice system should not be about punishing transgressors but should also be rehabilitative and transformative for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
Gesmundo issued the statement during the recent opening of the “Behind Walls, Behind Bars” art exhibit by PDLs at the Sandiganbayan Hall of the National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila.
The art exhibit is also part of the celebration of the National Correctional Consciousness Week.
“A justice system cannot be solely punitive or retributive, instead, it must be rehabilitative. But what our artist-PDLs have reminded me in their artwork is that justice must also be transformative,” Gesmundo said in his address.
He added that incarceration is not the final outcome of the country’s criminal justice system but a step towards rehabilitation and re-integration of the PDL into society once they have completed their prison sentence.
“In recognizing and supporting the artistic endeavors of PDLs, we affirm their dignity and humanity, and we promote a more inclusive and compassionate society,” he added.
The art exhibit featured works of PDLs with themes ranging from hopes and dreams of solitude, love, loss, nationhood and freedom from detention.
Justice Undersecretary Raul Varquez, who represented Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla in the event, echoed Gesmundo’s remarks and said the DOJ and the Bureau of Corrections are working to ensure the rehabilitation and transformation of PDLs.
“Everyone has the potential for redemption,” Vasquez said as he described the PDLs’ artworks as “symbols of hope, resilience and transformation.”
BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said the art exhibit highlighted the rehabilitation efforts and artistic abilities of PDLs even as they confront the reality of their imprisonment.
The artworks, numbering around 170 done by PDLs from various BuCor-operated prison facilities, will be on exhibit until January 2025.
