Among the needed reforms at the Bureau of Corrections would be the closure of the New Bilibid Prison sooner than later, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla has said.

“Complete victory is when the NBP is already closed down and the persons deprived of liberty are with their loved ones. This is the challenge I am facing, and in my entire life I am used to challenges. I do not backtrack,” Remulla said.

Remulla added that he may have been picked by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to head the Department of Justice, which oversees BuCor, so that a correctional system that works may be put in place.
The DoJ chief said he is up to the job of providing the PDLs a better correctional system to prepare them when they rejoin society.

“We need to change things at BuCor. We should not leave behind these people so they would become decent persons, humane, godly and patriotic. As for government officials, remember that we were not appointed here to amass money,” he stressed.

Syndicated movements

With former Armed Forces chief and now BuCor officer-in-charge Gregorio Catapang, Remulla said the shenanigans at BuCor-managed facilities, including the “syndicated movements” inside the prison walls may come to an end.

“The bad things will not go unpunished. Slowly, we will take away this sickness, we will uproot them so the needed system we are eyeing will be laid down,” Remulla said.
Catapang expressed full support for Remulla.

“Secretary Remulla is our light and guide to the reforms in sight. I was told by him to give PDLs hope, and increase the number of those to be set free. Thus, next year the number of those to be released from jail facilities nationwide will be doubled,” Catapang said.

Remulla earlier said that by June 2023, they will release an additional 5,000 inmates to decongest prison facilities.

Once the NBP in Muntinlupa is closed down, Remulla said government should well decide to convert into some other good use.

“The government cannot afford to buy land for its own offices. I do not believe in the privatization of land. Look at what happened at Bonifacio Global City; the government ended up with nothing to show for the 400 hectares of land with the money supposedly to be used for the modernization of the Armed Forces,” Remulla said.

Challenges

“For me, if the private sector wants to use the land, let them lease it so it will not disappear,” he explained.

Remulla guaranteed the Philippine government’s efforts to reform its judicial and law enforcement system to deliver “real justice in real-time.”

He asked the Human Rights Commission to understand the challenges on the ground.

“Trust that we know best what is good for our people and to work with us to realize the vision of human rights and justice for all,” Remulla said.

“It makes for a solid foundation of a civilized, democratic society — which is at the heart of Filipino culture, identity and history. We are reforming our system to deliver what out people deserve — real justice in real-time,” he added.