More than 20 days before Christmas, the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is expecting to release around 5,000 inmates, or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), according to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

BJMP chief Jail Director Ruel Rivera told a weekly news forum in Quezon City that they will be able to release around 3,000 to 5,000 PDLs this month through the Good Conduct and Time Allowance (GCTA).

Rivera is referring to Republic Act 10592, or the Good Conduct and Time Allowance law, which reduces the jail time of inmates who displayed good behavior and allowed their early release.

Citing BJMP records, Rivera pointed out that they have successfully implemented court orders, resulting in the release of around 74,000 PDLs from January to October 30 this year.

Rivera was one of the guests during the weekly forum along with Associate Sandiganbayan Justice Karl Miranda where they discussed the upcoming two-day National Jail Decongestion Summit on December 6 and 7 at the New World Hotel.

For his part, Miranda said the summit will be participated by the Supreme Court (SC), Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to come up with a whole-of-government approach in addressing jail congestion.

“What the Justice sector aims to do is to come together to coordinate and address common problems faced by the justice sector agencies. Ang end-goal po nito is to speed-up the delivery of swift and fair justice,” Miranda said.

Miranda added that the summit aims to address the three major reasons for jail congestion such as the lack of facilities, increase in arrest and the increase of admission to jail than release. PND