JV Ejercito urges DOJ, BuCor to implement prison reforms
September 14, 2022
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on
Wednesday called on the Department of Justice and Bureau of Corrections to
pursue reforms as the situation of the country’s prison system continues to
worsen.
During the hearing of the Commission on
Appointments on the confirmation of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying”
Remulla, Ejercito cited various criminal activities being proliferated in
different penitentiaries across the country, including the New Bilibid Prison,
its largest prison facility.
“Isa sa malaking problema ng DOJ ay ang Bureau
of Corrections. Dapat andoon yung reformation. But through the years, because
of rapid urbanization, napapaligiran siya (BuCor) ng community. So, madali ang
mga breakouts,” he said.
“Tapos, yung mga criminal activities continue
inside the Bilibid: nandiyan yung drugs at yung mga sindikato, tuloy-tuloy pa
din ang kanilang mga activities,” he added.
For his part, Remulla vowed to push for the
modernization of the country’s prison system, starting with establishment of
regional prison systems through a build-lease-transfer arrangement.
“Ang bottomline po dito: umalis na po tayo ng
Bilibid at mag-regionalize na po tayo ng mga kulungan, one prison per region,”
he said.
He said this will decongest the New Bilibid
Prison and pave the way for increased family support for persons deprived of
liberty.
“Kung ito po ay mabi-build natin sa lahat ng
region ng country, mas madali po ang dalaw ng mga preso. Mas madali po sila
mare-reform at magkakaroon po sila ng family support. Sa ngayon po kasi, ang
center prison po natin sa New Bilibid Prison ay napakalaki,” Remulla said.
Ejercito urged his colleagues to support the
DOJ and its proposed reforms as the Senate’s hearings on the 2023 national
budget draw near.
“Hopefully, makatulong, when budget season comes,
probably, we can support the plans of the DOJ on how we will be able to correct
and improve our BuCor, the Bilibid, in particular,” he said.
