Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 3) — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla described the woes plaguing the sprawling New Bilibid Prison (NBP) as nothing short of “horrific.”
During a House committee hearing Thursday, Remulla said the NBP houses over 36,000 inmates, while experts pointed out that the optimum number should only be about 1,500.
“This is something that is very, very alarming because as they say, this is the biggest mega prison in the world by now,” Remulla told the public order and safety committee.
“Because of this, managing this population has been horrific. If we do not address these problems sooner or later, the problems will get worse,” he added.
Remulla also said the awful conditions inside Bilibid cause prisoners to rely on their wits to survive as they fall victim to those who take advantage of them.
“”Yung ₱70 (budget sa pagkain) nagiging ₱50 pagdating ng kadulu-duluhan,” he said.
“Kaya ang coping mechanism sa subculture sabi natin, humihingi sa pamilya nila ng sustento. Ang problema naman pagdating sa sustento, ito’y kinakarton pa rin ng mga gwardya. Yung GCash system, may komisyon pa mga gwardya bago makarating ang pera sa tao,” the secretary added.
[Translation: The ₱70 budget becomes ₱50. The coping mechanism in the subculture is to ask their families for support. The problem is when it arrives, guards take a cut.]
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said they are providing ways to ease prison congestion. Over 500 inmates will be transferred this year to other jails and penal farms, and the release of those who have served their sentences is also being expedited.
In the future, the DOJ and BuCor want to build separate prisons in different regions nationwide to house those sentenced for heinous crimes. They are looking at military camps for this.
However, Remulla said he is against suggestions that want to hand over the land where Bilibid sits to the private sector once all inmates have been transferred.
“Ang sinasabi ko kay presidente rito, sana maging government center na lang. I’m really against na ibenta natin. I think we should use our land,” he said.
[Translation: What I told the president about this is I hope it becomes a government center instead. I’m really against selling it.]In a separate statement, BuCor director Gregorio Catapang Jr. said he would hire new corrections officers (COs) to represent a reformed agency in a bid to eliminate the possibility of corruption among personnel.In a Wednesday hearing, Catapang said over 1,000 COs were hired in 2022, while 2,000 more would be hired until 2024.
“They will constitute the new blood of BuCor who will regain the trust and confidence of the Filipino people. We will therefore have a total of 3,000 new correction officers by end of 2024 who will represent the beginning of a reformed BuCor,” Catapang said.
He added that both financial and non-financial aid is being eyed for personnel to stem corruption.
