Senators tell DoJ to immediately pursue plans to address听鈥榠nhumane鈥櫶齝ongestion rate in prisons听
SENATORS on Wednesday told the听Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)听to immediately address the congestion rate in national penitentiaries across the country at over 300%, with one solon calling the prison conditions as听鈥渋nhumane.鈥澨听
At the budget hearing of the Department of Justice, which includes BuCor,听Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said the 344% congestion rate at the New Bilibid Prison听(NBP) alone, the main national penitentiary, is听鈥渋nhumane鈥澨齟specially during the coronavirus pandemic.听听
Mr. Drilon听said听the preliminary works to move the NBP to another location from Muntinlupa City must begin before the end of the Duterte administration in June 2022.听听听
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra听told the hearing听that听鈥渢here will be some very clear plans about the intention to transfer the location of the National Bilibid Prison elsewhere鈥澨齜efore听the current administration steps down.听听听
Senator听Juan Edgardo 鈥淪onny鈥 M. Angara, chair of听the听Senate finance committee,听said the BuCor and the听Justice department听must come up with a five to 10-year plan to decongest jails in the country听鈥渟o that we in Congress can respond accordingly and find ways to fund this every year.鈥澨听
BuCor听Spokesperson听Gabriel P.听Chaclag听said the Bilibid, built with a capacity for听6,435听prisoners, has听a total population of 28,545 as of Aug. 2021.听听
Mr.听Chaclag听added that the average congestion rate in seven prisons听and听penal farms in the country听is听303%.听鈥 Bianca Angelica D. A帽ago
