The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) announced Thursday that it will transfer approximately 10,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to a new facility in Nueva Ecija as part of an aggressive decongestion strategy.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. stated that the transfer involves nearly half of the 22,000 inmates currently housed at the Muntinlupa facility. The move is made possible by the provincial government of Nueva Ecija, which provided a 60-hectare property for the relocation of PDLs from Luzon.
In addition to the Nueva Ecija transfer, Catapang revealed that a “Supermax” facility in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, is slated for completion within the year.
This high-security prison is intended for high-profile convicts and those convicted of heinous crimes, including individuals involved in high-profile corruption cases.
“The Supermax facility has specific areas… for heinous crime offenders,” Catapang said, noting that the facility serves as a high-security alternative following the abolition of the death penalty.
The Sablayan facility will feature strict monitoring, with a maximum of two occupants per cell. To streamline legal proceedings, the site will include a “justice hall” equipped for virtual court hearings via Zoom.
Despite the heightened security, Catapang noted that inmates would still have access to sunlight, livelihood programs, and reformation activities aimed at eventual reintegration into society.
The Director General emphasized that there will be no special treatment for any inmates, stressing a commitment to ensuring that those convicted serve their sentences as mandated by law.