Some 328 inmates around the Philippines will reunite with their families this Christmas after they were released from their prisons manned by the Bureau of Corrections.
The prison bureau said that 118 inmates came from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, 76 from the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, 44 from the Iwahig Prison, 28 from the Leyte Regional Prison, 24 from the Sablayan Prison and 23 from the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm. Meanwhile, 13 female inmates from the Correctional Institution of Women and two from the Philippine Military Academy were also released.
In a tweet, the Bureau of Corrections said that some of the prisoners released have already served their maximum sentence, with some released on parole and others on good conduct and time allowance.
Eight of the prisoners were acquitted, while one was released under probation and another on cash bond.
The release of prisoners follows the government’s ongoing efforts to decongest jails, after 1,166 prisoners died inside prison facilities.
Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said they plan to release as many as 800 prisoners each month.
