ROXAS City – The decongestion of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) main facility in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila will start mid-April, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.
BuCor plans to build a heinous crime facility at Camp Peralta in Jamindan, Capiz province.
At 33,310 hectares, Camp Perata is the third largest military camp in the country. It is the headquarters of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.
Other areas eyed to host heinous crime facilities are the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija; and Camp Kibaritan in Bukidnon.
Republic Act 7659, the law signed in 1993 and which imposed the death penalty, says that heinous crimes include: treason, piracy in general and mutiny on the high seas in Philippine waters, qualified piracy, qualified bribery, parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons, destructive arson, rape; importation, distribution, manufacturing and possession of illegal drugs
These crimes are considered heinous “for being grievous, odious and hateful offenses and which, by reason of their inherent or manifest wickedness, viciousness, atrocity and perversity are repugnant and outrageous to the common standards and norms of decency and morality in a just, civilized and ordered society.”
Jamindan is located on the western part of Capiz province and is 48 kilometers from Roxas City. Camp Peralta was declared a military reservation through Presidential Proclamation No. 67 and officially proclaimed by virtue of Jamindan Municipal Council Resolution 19.
The camp covers the towns of Jamindan and Tapaz of Capiz province and Lambunao, Iloilo province – straddling a total of 27 barangays. It is inhabited by various communities of indigenous peoples.
Meanwhile, the New Bilibid Prison inside the BuCor compound in Muntinlupa City is being eyed for conversion into a mixed-use estate which may include a museum and government offices.
Select persons deprived of liberty (PDL) will be transferred to other facilities while about 1,000 informal settlers in the BuCor periphery will be relocated.
BuCor data as of January showed there are 50,181 PDL in its seven penitentiaries, more than the capacity of 12,251.
Overall, the seven penitentiaries have an occupancy rate of 410 percent and congestion rate of 310 percent.
Gregorio Catapang Jr. was formally appointed BuCor director-general by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on March 23.
“The Department would like to express its full support to the new director general in his endeavors. Together, we will pursue the planned projects and programs for the betterment of the bureau and the welfare of our PDL,” said DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano in a statement on Friday. (PNA/PN)
