The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has released 215 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Puerto Princesa, as part of the 1,699 inmates granted freedom nationwide from July 31 to October 1.
The release was recognized in a culminating ceremony held Thursday, October 1, at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, which also covered releases from IPPF and other penal farms.
According to BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr., the freed PDLs were released based on acquittal, probation, parole, writ of habeas corpus, cash bond, and expiration of maximum sentence. A majority had served their maximum prison terms.
Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Gener M. Gito, guest of honor, told the released PDLs that their past mistakes should not define their future.
“Sa mga lalaya huwag ninyong hayaan na ang naging sintensya sa inyo ang siyang maging kahulugan ng inyong pagkatao… Maari tayong bumangon muli sa ating hindi magandang nakaraan,” he said.
The Iwahig release is part of BuCor’s ongoing efforts to decongest penal facilities and strengthen rehabilitative programs.
IPPF, one of the country’s largest open-air prisons, houses hundreds of inmates engaged in farming and livelihood programs while serving their sentences.
Officials from the Department of Justice, Board of Pardons and Parole, Public Attorney’s Office, and civil society groups witnessed the ceremony, which BuCor said was not only a celebration of freedom but also a reaffirmation of its commitment to a fair and just correctional process.
