MODULE 3
BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS
The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is an agency of the Department of
Justice that is charged with the custody and rehabilitation of national offenders,
wo have been sentenced to three years of imprisonment or more. In this module, it
has four lessons that will help you to understand the Bureau of Corrections.
At the end of this module, the students should have:
1. Understand the role of the Bureau of Corrections in the Philippine Justice
System
2. Know how the present Bureau of Corrections evolved
3. Understand the reformation programs undertaken by the Bureau.
Lesson 1
Mission
To protect the public by safekeeping and reforming persons under our custody
adhering to international standards of corrections service.
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Vision
A safer society by 2028 through reformed persons reintegrated by a highly efficient
and competent corrections service.
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Core Values
GOD CENTERED - Centering our lives joyfully and dynamically upon the person of
God.
VIGILANCE - We are committed to enhance public safety by being responsive to
the extreme demands of corrections duties.
INNOVATIVENESS - We seek continuing advancement in corrections management in
order to face emerging challenges and to optimize application of resources.
INTEGRITY - We promote accountability, equity and inclusiveness by adhering to
high ethical and moral standards.
_____________________________________
Functions
1. Safekeep prisoners convicted by courts three (3) years and one (1) day and
above to serve sentence in prison.
2. Prevent prisoners from committing crimes.
3. Provide inmates basic needs.
4. Ensure rehabilitation programs are made available to the inmates for their
physical, intellectual and spiritual development.
5. Develop livelihood programs to assist inmates earn a living and develop their
skills while in prison.
Mandates:
1. Safekeeping of National Inmates. The seakeeping of inmates shall include
decent provision of quarters, food, water, and clothing in compliance with
established United Nations standards. The security of inmates shall be
undertaken by the Custodial Force consisting of Corrections Officers with a
ranking system and salary grades similar to its counterpart BJMP
2. Reformation of National Inmates. The reformation programs, which will
instituted by the BuCor for the inmates, shall be the following:
✔ Moral and spiritual programs
✔ Education and training programs
✔ Work and livelihood programs
✔ Health and welfare programs
✔ Behavior modification program, to include therapeutic communities
3. Reformation Programs. Shall be undertaken by professional reformation
personnel consisting of corrections technical officers with ranking system
and salary grades similar to corrections officer.
About:
The Correctional System in the Philippines is composed of six agencies under three
distinct and separate departments of the national government:
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT - under this are the Bureau
of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) which runs the city, municipal, and
district jails; and the provincial jails through their respective provincial
governments.
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT - under this is Juvenile
and Justice Welfare Council which oversees the rehabilitation of young offenders.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE - under this are the Bureau of Corrections, Parole and
Probation Administration and the Board of Pardons and Parole.
Offenders convicted by the courts to serve sentences of three years or more are
kept at the prison facilities of the bureau of corrections: they are classified as
national prisoners. those meted with lighter sentences, as well as those with
pending cases before the regional trial courts, are confined in provincial jails
under the local government; while those awaiting trial in municipal trial courts or
serving light penalties (e.g., infraction of city or municipal ordinances) are
detained in city, municipal or district jails under the bureau of jail management
and penology. juvenile delinquents are normally sent to youth rehabilitation
centers under the juvenile justice and welfare council pursuant to R.A. 9344 unless
the sentencing judge specifically orders for them to be confined at the national
penitentiary, as in cases where the juvenile convict acted with discernment, or the
offense committed was grave.
The BUREAU OF PRISONS was established on November 1, 1905 under the
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION through REORGANIZATION ACT ACT 1407 of
the PHILIPPINE COMISSION until it was Transferred to the DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
(DOJ).
The PRISON LAW incorporated in chapter 45 of the revised ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
OF 1917.
SECTION 26 of the ADMINSTRATIVE CODE OF 1987 issued November 23, 1989 under
PROCLAMATION NO. 495 of the PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES change the name of
the BUREAU OF PRISON to BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS.
On May 24, 2013, PRISIDENT BENIGNO SIMEON C. AQUINO III signed into law the
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10575/ otherwise known as THE BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS ACT
of 2013 which provides for the modernization, Professionalization and
Restructuring of the bureau.
History:
Pre-Colonial and Spanish Regimes
During the pre-colonial times, the informal prison system was
community-based, as there were no national penitentiaries to speak of.
Natives who defied or violated the local laws were meted appropriate
penalties by the local chieftains. Incarceration in the community was only
meant to prevent the culprit from further harming the
History:
Pre-Colonial and Spanish Regimes
During the pre-colonial times, the informal prison system was
community-based, as there were no national penitentiaries to speak of. Natives
who defied or violated the local laws were meted appropriate penalties by the
local chieftains. Incarceration in the community was only meant to prevent the
culprit from further harming the local residents.
The formal prison system in the Philippines started only during the Spanish
regime, where an organized corrective service was made operational. Established
in 1847 pursuant to Section 1708 of the Revised Administrative Code and formally
opened by Royal Decree in 1865, the Old Bilibid Prison was constructed as the main
penitentiary on Oroquieta Street, Manila and designed to house the prison
population of the country. This prison became known as the “Carcel y Presidio
Correccional” and could accommodate 1,127 prisoners.
The Carcel was designed to house 600 prisoners who were segregated according
to class, sex and crime while the Presidio could accommodate 527 prisoners. Plans
for the construction of the prison were first published on September 12, 1859 but
it was not until April 10, 1866 that the entire facility was completed.
The prison occupied a quadrangular piece of land 180 meters long on each side,
which was formerly a part of the Mayhalique Estate in the heart of Manila. It
housed a building for the offices and quarters of the prison warden, and 15
buildings or departments for prisoners that were arranged in a radial way to form
spokes. The central tower formed the hub. Under this tower was the chapel. There
were four cell-houses for the isolated prisoners and four isolated buildings located
on the four corners of the walls, which served as kitchen, hospital and stores. The
prison was divided in the middle by a thick wall. One-half of the enclosed space
was assigned to Presidio prisoners and the other half to Carcel prisoners.
In 1908, concrete modern 200-bed capacity hospitals as well as new dormitories
for the prisoners were added. A carpentry shop was organized within the confines
of the facility. For sometime the shop became a trademark for fine workmanship of
furniture made by prisoners. At this time, sales of handicrafts were done through
the institutions and inmates were compensated depending on the availability of
funds. As a consequence, inmates often had to sell through the retail or barter
their products.
On August 21, 1869, the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City
was established to confine Muslim rebels and recalcitrant political prisoners
opposed to the Spanish rule. The facility, which faced the Jolo sea had
Spanish-inspired dormitories and was originally set on a 1,414-hectare sprawling
estate.
The American and Commonwealth Government
The American and Commonwealth Government
When the Americans took over in the 1900s, the Bureau of Prisons was created
under the Reorganization Act of 1905 (Act No. 1407 dated November 1, 1905) as an
agency under the Department of Commerce and Police.
It also paved the way for the re-establishment of San Ramon Prison in 1907
which was destroyed during the Spanish-American War. On January 1, 1915, the
San Ramon Prison was placed under the auspices of the Bureau of Prisons and
started receiving prisoners from Mindanao.
Before the reconstruction of San Ramon Prison, the Americans established in
1904 the Iuhit penal settlement (now Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm) on a vast
reservation of 28,072 hectares. It would reach a total land area of 40,000 hectares
in the late 1950s. Located on the westernmost part of the archipelago far from the
main town to confine incorrigibles with little hope of rehabilitation, the area was
expanded to 41,007 hectares by virtue of Executive Order No. 67 issued by
Governor Newton Gilbert on October 15, 1912.
Other penal colonies were established during the American regime. On
November 27, 1929, the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) was created
under Act No. 3579 to provide separate facilities for women offenders while the
Davao Penal Colony in Southern Mindanao was opened in 1932 under Act No. 3732.
Transfer of Bilibid Prison to Muntinlupa
The increasing number of committals to the Old Bilibid Prison, the growing
urbanization of Manila and the constant lobbying by conservative groups prompted
the government to plan and develop a new site for the national penitentiary, which
was to be on the outskirts of the urban center. Accordingly, Commonwealth Act No.
67 was enacted, appropriating one million (P1,000.000.00) pesos for the
construction of a new national prison in the southern suburb of Muntinlupa, Rizal in
1935. The old prison was transformed into a receiving center and a storage facility
for farm produce from the colonies. It was later abandoned and is now under the
jurisdiction of the Public Estates Authority.
On November 15, 1940, all inmates of the Old Bilibid Prison in Manila were
transferred to the new site. The new institution had a capacity of 3,000 prisoners
and it was officially named the New Bilibid Prison on January 22, 1941. The prison
reservation has an area of 587 hectares, part of which was arable. The prison
compound proper had an area of 300 x 300 meters or a total of nine hectares. It
was surrounded by three layers of barbed wire.
Developments after World War II
After World War II, there was a surplus of steel matting in the inventory and it was
used to improve the security fences of the prison. A death chamber was
constructed in 1941 at the rear area of the camp when the mode of execution was
through electrocution. In the late ‘60s, fences were further reinforced with
concrete slabs. The original institution became the maximum security compound in
the 70s and continues to be so up to present, housing not only death convicts and
inmates sentenced to life terms, but also those with numerous pending cases,
multiple convictions and sentences of more than 20 years.. In the 1980s, the height
of the concrete wall was increased and another facility was constructed, 2.5
kilometers from the main building. This became known as Camp Sampaguita or the
Medium Security Camp, which was used as a military stockade during the martial
law years and the Minimum Security Camp, whose first site was christened “Bukang
Liwayway”. Later on, this was transferred to another site within the reservation
where the former depot was situated.
Under Proclamation No. 72 issued on September 26, 1954, the Sablayan Prison
and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro was established. In The Leyte Regional
Prison followed suit under Proclamation No. 1101 issued on January 16, 1973.
Non-Operational National Prisons
FORT BONIFACIO PRISON: A committee report submitted to then President Carlos
P. Garcia described Fort Bonifacio, formerly known as Fort William McKinley, as a
military reservation located in Makati, which was established after the Americans
came to the Philippines. The prison was originally used as a detention center
for offenders of US military laws and ordinances.
After the liberation of the Philippines, the reservation was transferred to the
Philippine government, which instructed the Bureau of Prisons to use the facility
for the confinement of maximum security prisoners. For several years,
incorrigibles were mixed with political prisoners (those convicted of rebellion) at
the Fort Bonifacio facility until June 30, 1968, when it was converted into a prison
exclusively for political offenders. After a bloody April 1969 riot at the Muntinlupa
facility, however, incorrigible prisoners from Muntinlupa were transferred to Fort
Bonifacio.
During the administration of President Diosdado Macapagal, the Fort was
renamed Fort Andres Bonifacio. The correctional facility was also renamed Fort
Bonifacio Prison. The one-story building now stands on a one-hectare area.
The Fort Bonifacio Prison continued to be a satellite prison of the national
penitentiary even after martial law was lifted. It was only in the late 1980’s that
the facility was vacated by the Bureau of Prisons.
CORREGIDOR PRISON STOCKADE: In 1908 during the American regime, some 100
prisoners were transferred from the Old Bilibid Prison to Corregidor Island to work
under military authorities. This move was in accordance with an order from the
Department of Instructions, which approved the transfer of inmates so they could
assist in maintenance and other operations in the stockade.
The inmates were transported not to serve time but for prison labor. Until the
outbreak of the Second World War, inmates from Old Bilibid Prison were regularly
sent to Corregidor for labor purposes.
When the War broke out, prisoners on Corregidor were returned to Bilibid Prison.
The island prison was never reopened.
BONTOC PRISON: The Philippine Legislature during the American regime passed
Act No. 1876 providing for the establishment of a prison in Bontoc in Mountain
Province. The prison was built for the prisoners of the province and insular
prisoners who were members of the non-Christian tribes of Mountain Province and
Nueva Viscaya.
Bontoc prison could be reached only through narrow, poorly developed
mountain roads. Due to the enormous expenses incurred in transporting personnel,
equipment and supplies to the prison, the facility was abandoned and officially
closed on April 26, 1932.
Reference: [Link]
✍ LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Look for the new or updated BuCor organization.
Lesson 2
Reformation Programs
1) Work and Livelihood
- The Bureau offers a variety of inmate work programs, from agricultural
to industrial. The purpose of the inmate work program is to keep the
inmates busy, and to provide them money for their personal expenses
and their families as well as help them acquire livelihood skills, in order
that they may become productive citizens once they are released and
assimilated back into the mainstream of society.
- Different prison and penal farms provide institutional work programs for
inmates. At the Davao Penal Colony, inmates work on the banana
plantations of Tagum Development Company (TADECO) which has a joint
venture agreement with the Bureau. Similarly, the vast tracts of land at
the Iwahig Penal Colony are developed and tilled by inmates to produce
various agricultural products, thereby generating income for the Bureau.
The Sablayan Prison and Penal farm also provides agriculture and
aquaculture programs for inmates.
- Along this end, the Bureau under the present Director has encouraged
agricultural and industrial production by providing farming implements,
tractors, fertilizers and other inputs in order to sustain this area of
rehabilitation for inmates.
2) Healthcare Services
- Upon his initial commitment to the Reception and Diagnostic Center
(RDC), the inmate’s medical history is recorded and properly
documented by the Medical Specialist. Medical information and mental
status examinations are given to ascertain his overall physical / mental
fitness and whether he would be fit for work. This forms part of the
diagnostic process which will eventually determine the most appropriate
rehabilitation program for the inmate.
- The principal medical care of inmates is provided through a 500-bed
capacity hospital at the New Bilibid Prisons and at six (6) other
mini-hospitals or clinics in the six (6) other prison and penal farms. All
correctional facilities have a full and competent staff of medical
practitioners in charge of clinics, infirmaries and hospitals. These
centers are capable of minor surgical operations, laboratory
examinations, radiology, psychiatric, rehabilitation and dental
treatment.
- Other government and private hospitals are also tapped in the
implementation of standards pertaining to nutrition and protective
health services for the prison community. Medical services also include a
wide range of counseling techniques and therapy programs which address
the psychological problems of inmates, including suicidal thoughts and
feelings of rejection which may lead to disruption of peace and order
within the prison compounds. When an inmate’s ailment is beyond the
competence of the in-house medical doctors, the inmate is referred to a
government hospital in accordance with prison rules and under proper
security escorts.
3) Education and Skills Training
- Rehabilitation can be facilitated by improving an inmate’s academic and
job skills. Records show that many prisoners are poorly educated. A
majority are elementary school drop outs or have not even finished
primary school. Prison education amounts to remedial schooling designed
to prepare inmates to obtain basic skills in reading, writing and
mathematics.
- In most correctional facilities, vocational programs are incorporated
into job assignments and serve as on-the-job training. The goal is to
provide inmates with skills that will improve their eligibility for jobs
upon release. Most prison vocational training is geared toward traditional
blue-collar employment in areas such as electronics, auto mechanics and
handicrafts. At the Reception and Diagnostic Center, a basic computer
literacy course with typing as a support course is available for inmates
who have finished at least high school level.
- Vocational training and social education focus on job readiness. The
concern in these areas is life skills. If inmates are to reenter society and
abstain from criminal activity, they must be employable and have the
basic tools necessary to function as responsible citizens.
- The National Penitentiary has a college degree program and a tertiary
degree correspondence course, in addition to the regular secondary and
compulsory basic literacy classes. Prisoners are strongly encouraged by
the BuCor authorities to enroll while serving their sentence and to
advance their academic skills.
4) Sports and Recreation
- The inmates enjoy sunrise by participating in daily calisthenics. There
are various indoor and outdoor sports activities, programs, tournaments
and leagues all year round, to include basketball, volleyball, billiards,
table tennis and chess. These sports competitions promote camaraderie
among inmates, good sportsmanship and team-building. The latest
addition is the newly constructed indoor sports center/gymnasium at the
Maximum Security Compound which boasts of competition-standard
flooring, sound system, locker rooms and bleachers.
- All prison and penal farms have adequate recreational facilities for
inmates, both for outdoor and indoor sports. Mini-bodybuilding gyms are
available in most prison facilities, including the Muntinlupa Juvenile
Training Center and the Therapeutic Community Center for inmates with
drug cases.
- For music lovers and musically-inclined inmates, numerous "videoke"
centers are available. Musical instruments are available for practice or
for use in variety shows.
5) Moral and Spiritual Program
- Inmates enjoy freedom of religion. All inmates are free to observe the
rituals of their faith, with orderly conduct supervised by prison
authorities. A religious guidance adviser or chaplain is assigned in every
prison and penal farm. The prison chaplain sets the stage for every
regular spiritual activity. He is an officer of the institution who oversees
the operation of the prison chapel. He is not only the spiritual leader but
also a counselor and adviser. Prisoners may be baptized or given other
sacraments. Religious Volunteer Officers, or RVOs belonging to different
church groups provide weekly religious activities ranging from bible
studies, devotions, prayer meetings or praise and worship. With a
predominantly Roman Catholic prison population, a Catholic Mass is a
regular feature in spiritual activities of the prison communities.
Restrictions, however, are imposed if, in the course of religious
activities, security is compromised or a program is too expensive.
6) Therapeutic Community
- The Therapeutic Community (TC) Program represents an effective, highly
structured environment with defined boundaries, both moral and ethical.
The primary goal is to foster personal growth. This is accomplished by
re-shaping an individual’s behavior and attitudes through the inmates�?
community working together to help themselves and each other,
restoring self confidence, and preparing them for their re-integration
into their families and friends as productive members of the community.
- Patterned after Daytop TC, New York which is the base of the
Therapeutic Community movement in the world, the BuCor TC program
was adopted as part of the Bureau's holistic approach towards inmate
rehabilitation. It is implemented primarily but not limited to drug
dependents.
- The TC approach has been continuously proven worldwide as an
effective treatment and rehabilitation modality among drug dependents,
and have been noted to be effective in many prisons. By immersing a
drug offender in the TC environment, he learns why he had developed
his destructive habits, which led him to substance abuse. The program
modifies negative behavior and or attitudes while restoring self
confidence, and prepares inmates for their re-integration into their
families and friends as productive members of the community. This
behavioral modification program gradually re-shapes or re-structures the
inmate within a family-like environment, wherein every member acts as
his brother’s keeper.
- As TC family members go on with their daily activities, a strong sense of
responsibility and concern for each other’s welfare are developed. They
are constantly being monitored for their progress and are regularly being
evaluated by the TC-trained staff. The TC process allows for genuine
introspection, cultivation of self-worth and positive rationalization that
move the individual towards assuming a greater sense of personal and
moral responsibility.
- The efforts of the Bureau of Corrections to rehabilitate Drug dependents
under its care using the TC approach is in line with its commitment to
create a Drug-Free Prison. Worldwide developments in the treatment and
rehabilitation of drug offenders using this therapeutic community
approach have been noted to be effective in many prisons.
Reference: [Link]
✍ LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Enumerate and Discuss briefly the reformation programs of the bureau.
Lesson 3
Prison Facilities:
New Bilibid Prison
- NEW BILIBID PRISON (NBP): The projected increase in the prison
population prompted the government to plan and develop a new site for
the national penitentiary. The growing urbanization of Manila and
constant lobbying by conservative groups fueled the idea of
transferring the Old Bilibid Prison to a new site, which at the time was
considered remote and on the outskirts of the urban center.
Accordingly, Commonwealth Act No. 67 was enacted, appropriating one
million pesos for the construction of a new national prison in Muntinlupa.
On November 15, 1940, all inmates of the Old Bilibid Prison in Manila
were transferred to the new site. The new institution had a capacity of
3,000 prisoners and it was officially named the New Bilibid Prison on
January 22, 1941. The prison reservation had an area of 587 hectares,
part of which was arable. The prison compound proper had an area of
300 x 300 meters or a total of nine hectares. It was surrounded by
three layers of barbed wire.
- The institution became the maximum security compound in the �?0s and
continues to be so. The camp houses not only death convicts and
inmates sentenced to life term, but also those with numerous pending
cases, multiple convictions, and sentences of more than 20 years.
- After World War II, there was a surfeit of steel matting in the inventory
and it was used to improve the security fence. In the late �?0s, fences
werefurther reinforced with concrete slabs. In the 1980s, the height of
the concrete wall was increased and another facility was constructed,
2.5 kilometers from the main building. This became known as
Camp Sampaguita or the Medium Security Camp.
- On January 22, 1941 the electric chair was transferred to New Bilibid
Prison. The death chamber was constructed in the rear area of the camp
when the mode of execution was through electrocution. Today, it is a
security zone where those convicted of drug offenses are held.
- The NBP expanded with the construction of new security facilities.
These were the Medium Security Camp, which was used as a military
stockade during martial law and the Minimum Security Camp, whose first
site was christened Bukang Liwayway. This was transferred to another
site within the reservation where the former depot was situated.
- The increase in the prison population has affected the segregation
system. Several foreign funded projects dot the prison reservation,
among them, the Half Way House and the Juvenile Training Center. Both
projects are supported by funds from Japan through the representation
of the Interdisciplinary Committee of NAPOLCOM.
Correctional Institution for Women
- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN (CIW): In a report dated
January 22, 1959, submitted to a committee created by Administrative
Order No. 287 by the President of the Philippines, it was noted that
“before a separate building was constructed especially for women
prisoners, all female convicts were confined at the Old Bilibid Prison on
Azcarraga St., Manila. The male prisoners were confined in dormitories
near the women’s quarters. Because of these conditions, vocational
activities of the women prisoners were limited to embroidery. When
they became ill, the women were confined in a separate building which
served as a hospital with nurses and prison physicians. When women
prisoners needed surgery, they were operated on at the Bilibid Prison.
After the operation, they were transferred to the infirmary for
convalescence�?br>
- Prison authorities were aware of the conditions that the women prisoners
had to endure. Consequently, the transfer of the women to a separate
site became inevitable. After a series of negotiations started by Prison
Director Ramon Victorio, the Philippine Legislature passed Republic Act
No. 3579 in November, 1929. It authorized the transfer of all women
inmates to a building in Welfareville at Mandaluyong, Rizal and
appropriated P60,000 for the move.
-
- On February 14, 1931, the women prisoners were transferred from the
Old Bilibid Prison to the building especially constructed for them. Its old
name, “Women’s Prison,�?was changed to “Correctional Institution for
Women.”�? This was in keeping with emerging trends in penology, which
emphasized correction rather than punishment. Convicts were brought
back into the social mainstream adjusted and rehabilitated with a better
outlook in life.
- CIW, according to a Senate report, occupied 18 hectares. The original
structure was a one-story building which housed the office, the brigades,
mess hall, kitchen, chapel, infirmary, bathrooms and
employees�?restrooms. The building has a central courtyard with trees
and flowering plants. The prisoners�?vocational activities were
expanded to include poultry and piggery as well as cultivation of crops,
flowers and fruits. Living quarters for the institution’s employees were
later constructed in the compound. During the Japanese occupation, the
CIW, despite a drastic reduction in the number of its employees,
continued with its work. A number of female military prisoners were also
confined in the institution. They were later freed by the U.S. Army.
- After the war, the CIW resumed its normal operations. Weekly catechism
classes were introduced. A dental clinic was built. Local telephones were
installed in the guards�?quarters. The Bureau of Public Works made
major repairs on the main building and a workshop and infirmary were
constructed for the inmates�?use. The infirmary during that time could
accommodate around 16 patients.
- In 2000, a new four-story building was constructed by the Department of
Public Works within the grounds of CIW. It eased the growing congestion
in the facility. The CIW, with a capacity for only 200 inmates, had to
accommodate 1,000 inmates.
Davao Prison and Penal Farm
- DAVAO PENAL COLONY: The Davao Penal Colony is the first penal
settlement founded and organized under Filipino administration. The
settlement, which originally had an area of approximately 30,000
hectares in the districts of Panabo and Tagum, Davao del Norte, was
formally established on January 21, 1932 by virtue of Act No. 3732. This
Act authorized the Governor-General to lease or sell the lands, buildings
and improvements in San Ramon Prison and Iwahig Penal Colony. It also
granted authority to the Secretary of Justice to establish a new prison
and penal colony in a suitable public land. A budget of P500,000 was
allocated. Several committees were created to pick a suitable site for
the enal settlement. In accordance with the recommendation of these
committees, Governor Dwight Davis signed Proclamation No. 414 on
October 7, 1931, which reserved a site for the penal colony in Davao
province in Mindandao. The site offered ideal conditions for agricultural
activities.
- During World War II, the colony was converted into a concentration camp
where more than 1,000 Japanese internees were committed by the
Philippine-American Armed Forces. The Japanese weretreated in
accordance with the orders of the American commanding officer.
- On December 20, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Forces attacked Davao
and the colony was among the establishments taken over by the invading
[Link] entire settlement was thrown into confusion and a great
numberof prisoners escaped. Normal operations were inevitably
disturbed. November 8, 1942, a representative of the Director of Prisons
transferred the colony and its properties to the Japanese authorities.
The remaining colony employees, their families and the inmates
evacuated to Iwahig where they organized the Davao Penal Colony at
Inagawan sub colony (Palawan). The organization of the colony in exile
was authorized by virtue of Memorandum Order No. 60 dated June 28,
1943 and signed by the Director of Prisons.
- After the liberation of the Philippines, the colony-in-exile in Palawan
returned to its old site in Davao. A great deal of rebuilding and repair
had to be done because the war had almost completely destroyed the
colony.
Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm
- IWAHIG PENAL COLONY: This facility was established during the American
occupation. It was however, during the Spanish regime that Puerto
Princesa was designated as a place where offenders sentenced to
banishment were exiled. A specific area of Puerto Princesa was
selected as the site for a correctional facility. The American military
carved out a prison facility in the rain forest of Puerto Princesa. The
institution had for its first Superintendent Lt. George Wolfe, a member
of the U.S. expeditionary force, who later became the first prisons
director.
- Governor Luke Wright authorized the establishment of a penal colony in
the province of Palawan on November 16, 1904. This penal settlement,
which originally comprised an area of 22 acres, originally served as a
depository for prisoners who could not be accommodated at the Bilibid
Prison in Manila. In 1906, however, the Department of Commerce and
Police (which later became the Department of Public Instruction) moved
to turn the institution into the center of a penal colony supervised in
accordance with trends at the time. Through the department’s efforts,
the Philippine Commission of the United States government passed Act
No. 1723 in 1907 classifying the settlement as a penal institution.
- The settlement was at first beset by attempted escapes. But under the
supervision of Col. John R. White of the Philippine Constabulary,
whowould become superintendent of Iwahig in 1906, the colony became
a successful settlement. A merit system was devised for the prisoners
and vocational activities were offered. These included farming, fishing,
forestry, carpentry, and hospitalparamedical work. Prisoners could
choose the vocational activities they wanted.
- In 1955, Administrative Order No. 20 was promulgated by the President
and implemented by the Secretary of Justice and the Secretary of
Agriculture and Natural Resources. This order allowed the distribution of
colony lands for cultivation by deserving colonists. The order also
contained a list of qualifications for colonists who wished to apply for a
lot to cultivate, the conditions for the settler’s stay in his land, loan
requirements and marketing of the settlers’ produce. Lots granted did
not exceed six hectares.
- On August 16, 1959, a committee was created by President Carlos P.
Garcia to study the state of national prisons. Accordingly, prisoners in
Iwahig were divided into two groups: the settlers and colonists. The
settlers are those engaged in farming for their own benefit; they are
the ones whose applications for land to cultivate have been approved.
The government furnishes the land and initial requirements for tools,
dwellings and beast of burden. They are required to reimburse
expenditures incurred for their maintenance and that of their families
out of the products of their farms. Upon their release from the colony,
they receive whatever amount of money they have credited in their
favor, after deducting the obligations they have.
- Iwahig is subdivided into four zones or districts: Central sub-colony with
an area of 14,700 hectares; Sta. Lucia with 9,685 hectares; Montible with
8,000 hectares and Inagawan with 13,000 hectares.
San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm
- SAN RAMON PRISON AND PENAL FARM: According to historical
accounts, the San Ramon Prison was established in southern Zamboanga
on August 21,1870 through a royal decree promulgated in 1869.
Established during the tenure of Governor General Ramon Blanco (whose
patron saint the prison was named after), the facility was originally
established for persons convicted of political crimes.
- Considered the oldest penal facility in the country, prisoners in San
Ramon were required to do agricultural work.
- During the Spanish-American War in 1898, the prisoners in San Ramon
were hastily released and the buildings destroyed. In 1907, the
American administration re-established the prison farm. In 1912, Gen.
John Pershing, chief executive of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu,
classified the institution as a prison and penal colony and therein
confined people sentenced by the courts under his jurisdiction. Under
Pershing’s supervision, several buildings with a capacity for 600 prisoners
were constructed. After several years, the colony became practically
self supporting, with 75,000 coconut trees, which were planted at the
beginning of Pershing’s administration, contributing tothe colony’s
self-sufficiency. Aside from coconuts, rice, corn, papaya and other crops
were also cultivated.
- On November 1, 1905, Reorganization Act No. 1407 was approved
creating the Bureau of Prisons under the Department of Commerce and
Police, integrating the Old Bilibid Prison, San Ramon Penal Colony and
Iwahig Penal. The Philippine Coconut Authority took over management of
the coconut farm from San Ramon.
- In 1995, Congresswoman Maria Clara Lobregat proposed the transfer of
San Ramon Prison to Bongiao town, in the mountainous area of
Zamboanga, to give way to a special economic zone.
Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm
- SABLAYAN PRISON AND PENAL FARM: Nearer to Manila than other penal
colonies, the Sablayan Penal Colony is located in Occidental Mindoro and
relatively new. Established on September 26, 1954 by virtue of
Presidential Proclamation No. 72, the penal colony has a total land area
of approximately 16,190 hectares.
- Prison records show that the first colonists and employees arrived in
Sablayan on January 15, 1955. Since then several buildings have been
constructed, including the colonists�?dormitories,
employees�?quarters, guardhouse, schoolhouse, chapel, recreation hall,
and post exchange.
- Three sub-colonies were later organized. One is a reservation which
this day remains part of a protected rainforest. Another is in a coastal
area. The third was used by the national government as a relocation
site for refugees from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991.
- Sablayan prison is a facility where prisoners from NBP are brought for
decongestion purposes. It follows the same colony standards as other
penal farms.
Leyte Regional Prison
- LEYTE REGIONAL PRISON: The Leyte Regional Prison, situated in Abuyog,
Southern Leyte, was established a year after the declaration of martial
law in 1972 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 28. While its plantilla
and institutional plan were almost ideal, lack of funds made the prison
unable to realize its full potential and its facilities are often below par
compared with those of other established penal farms.
- The LRP has an inmate capacity of 500. It follows the same agricultural
format as the main correctional program in addition to some
rehabilitation activities. The prison admits convicted offenders from
Region VI and from the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa.
Reference: [Link]
✍ LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Enumerate the seven correctional facilities of the bureau.
Lesson 4
Security Risk Classification for BuCor Inmates
1) Super Security
- For special group of inmates composed of incorigibles and dangerous
inmates who are difficult to manage for being the source of constant
disturbance in the maximum institution
2) Maximum Security
- For dangerous or high security risks inmates as determine by the
Classification board who require a high degree of control and
supervision. Under this category are:
✔ Those sentenced to death
✔ Those whose minimum sentence is twenty (20) years
imprisonment;
✔ Remand inmates or detainees whose sentences are under review
by the Supreme Court of the Court of Appeals
✔ Those with pending cases
✔ Recidivist, habitual delinquents and escapes
✔ Those confined for reception and diagnostic
✔ Those under disciplinary punishment or safekeeping
✔ Those who are criminally insane or those with severe personality
or emotional disorders that make them dangerous to fellow
inmates or the BuCor personnel
3) Medium Security
- For inmates who cannot be trusted in less secured areas and those whose
conduct for behavior require minimum supervision. Under this category
are:
✔ Whose minimum senetence is less 20 years of imprisonment
✔ Remand inmates or detainees whose sentence are below 20 years
✔ Those who are 2 or more records of escapes if they have served 8
years since they were recommitted. Those with 1 record of escape
must serve 5 years
✔ First time offender sentence to life imprisonment if they have
serve 5 years in the maximum security facility or less, upon
recommendation of the superintedndent
4) Minimum Security
- For those who can be reasonably trusted to serve their sentence under
less restricted conditions such as:
✔ With severe physical handicap as certified by the chief of the
medical services of the institution
✔ Who are sixty-five years of age and above, without pending case
and whose convictions are on appeal
✔ Who have only 6 months more to serve before the expiration of
their maximum sentence
Color-Coded Uniform Based on Security Classification
⮚ Tangerine/Orange – maximum Security Inmates
⮚ Blue – Medium Security Inmates
⮚ Brown – Minimum Security Inmates
⮚ Gray – detainees
✍ LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Research for a documentary video about inmates or correctional facilities in
the country.