The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Monday, March 20, released a total of 401 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from its prison facilities nationwide.
The simultaneous release was witnessed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla at the Correctional Institutional for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City were 39 PDLs were freed.
Also present during the ceremony were BuCor Acting Director General Gregoio Pio P. Catapang Jr. and Public Attorney's Office Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta.
BuCor said that among those released, 169 had been granted parole, 70 had been acquitted, 10 had been granted probation, and 152 had served their maximum jail terms.
It said that most of those released came from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City with 163 PDLs.
Aside from the CIW and the NBP, those freed were 99 from Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao del Norte; 47, Leyte Regional Prison (LRP) in Abuyog, Leyte; 29, San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF) in Zamboanga City, 29; six, Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro; and 18, Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Palawan.
Secretary Remulla vowed to continue implementing reforms in the justice system.
“Pinapatupad natin ‘yan kahit may kritiko na hindi naniniwala (We will implement the reforms even if there are doubters),” he said.
“Ang mahalaga naniniwala po tayo na ang hustisya ay manaig sa buong kapuluan ng Republika ng Pilipinas (What’s importatnt is we believe that justice prevails in the entire country),” he stressed.
At the same time, Remulla assured that more qualified PDLs will be released in the coming days.