MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) released 234 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) on Thursday, November 24, in a ceremony led by Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla and acting corrections chief Gregorio Catapang Jr.

Here’s the breakdown of released PDLs, based on the BuCor’s data:

PDLs released per prison facility

• 128 – New Bilibid Prison
• 47 – Davao Prison and Penal Farm
• 21 – Correctional Institution for Women
• 16 – San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm
• 12 – Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm
• 7 – Leyte Regional Farm
• 3 – Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm

Most of the PDLs released are from the national penitentiary, followed by the Davao prison. The least number of PDLs released are from Iwahig facility in Palawan.

PDLs and the reason for their release

• 106 – Parole
• 104 – Expiration of maximum sentence with Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA)
• 12 – Acquitted
• 8 – Expiration of maximum sentence with GCTA (through DOJ order no. 953)
• 2 – Granted probation
• 1 – Habeas corpus
• 1 – Lifting of arrest and recommitment

Most of the PDLs released were given paroles by the Board of Pardons and Parole, followed by those who finished their maximum sentence. The least are those released through habeas corpus and lifting of arrest.

Summary of PDLs released from Bilibid

• 71 – Parole
• 45 – Expiration of maximum sentence with GCTA
• 8 – Acquitted
• 3 – Expiration of maximum sentence with GCTA (through DOJ order no. 953)
• 1 – Lifting of arrest

This is the latest set of PDLs that were released by the BuCor and the DOJ. In September, the bureau freed 371 PDLs. According to Remulla, they were already able to release 728 PDLs with the help of the Public Attorneys Office.

Releasing of prisoners is part of the government’s objective to decongest jails. Aside from granting parole, the government also introduced the digitalization of carpeta or prison records to compel concerned government agencies to ensure that qualified prisoners will be released.

However, the government said they are still working on the program. In July, Remulla said it wasn’t easy to shift to a digital platform, referring to the digitalization of prison records.

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Meanwhile, based on data for the latest released PDLs, many of them should have already been freed since they already finished their sentence.

PDLs being given paroles also deserved to be released since they already met the required qualifications. According to the Board of Pardons and Parole, PDLs may be granted parole “whenever the Board of Pardons and Parole finds that there is a reasonable probability that, if released, the prisoner will be law-abiding and that the release will not be incompatible with the interest and welfare of society.” – Rappler.com