The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is studying to recommend to President Bongbong Marcos the granting of “executive clemency” to prisoners aged 70 years old and above to relieve the prisons they manage.
BuCor officer-in-charge General Gregorio Catapang Jr. announced that it was done during the time of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and it is possible to do it now.
“Under the law daw, panahon ni President GMA, may batas siya o executive order na inisyu na lahat ng 70 years old up ay [bigyan] na ng parole o palayain na kahit papa’no kasi sabi nila, 70 years old, hindi na makakaisip ‘yan gumawa ng krimen,” explained Catapang.
(Under the law, during President GMA’s time, he had a law or an executive order issued that all 70 years old up should be [granted] parole or released anyway because they said, 70 years old, can’t think anymore that commits a crime.)
First, Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Mico Clavano said that Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla is also targeting the easing of prisons, especially the New Bilibid Prison, which has a congestion rate of 300%.
Another plan by the DOJ is to move NBP maximum security to Sablayan Prison in Occidental Mindoro and minimum security to Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.
BuCor plans to free PDLs aged 70 and above
More than 1,500 elderly prisoners, especially those awaiting release, may also be transferred to Fort Magsaysay, according to Catapang.
Based on the resolution of the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP), the prisoners who qualify for parole or executive clemency are those who are 65 years old or older, have already served five years of their sentence, or are in danger of health in prison based on doctor’s recommendation.
Inmates with heinous crimes are not eligible here.
Meanwhile, following the controversy at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), the prison plans to separate prisoners or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), depending on the crime committed.
According to Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Gregorio Catapang, Jr. that there is already a regionalization plan to ease the NBP where the 30,000 are crowded that can only accommodate 6,000 inmates.
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