Manila, Philippines – Patuloy na umaasa si Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte na aaksyunan ngayong 19th Congress ang kaniyang panukala ukol sa pagbuwag sa Bureaus of Corrections (BuCor) at Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Ito ay batay sa inihain na panukala ni Villafuerte ukol sa pagtatatag ng National Commission on Corrections at Jail Management (Commission) na siyang sasakop sa lahat ng kulungan sa buong bansa na issailalim naman sa pangangasiwa ng local government units (LGUs).
“This proposed Commission shall be an independent and autonomous authority envisioned to carry out a unified corrections and jail management system for all PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) and detainees, including the implementation of customary and reformary mandates for all detained persons, regionalization and upgrading of prison facilities and equipment, and professionalization of its officials and employees,” dagdag pa ni Villafuerte.
Sa kasalukuyan ay nakabinbin pa rin ang panukala ng mambabatas na sa House Committee on Justice— House Bill (HB) No. 8101— na kinapapalooban ng panukalang komisyon na nakapailalim sa Department of Justice ngunit nananatiling sa “program and policy coordination” lamang.
Ayon sa mambabatas ang HB 8101, o kilala sa tawag na “Unified Corrections and Jail Management System Act,”ay may layuning buwagin ang BuCor, BJMP maging ang mga correctional at jail services sa mga lalawigan.
“The Philippines has a fragmented jail management system, with prisons and penal farms under the BuCor of the DOJ; the provincial jails under their respective provincial governments; and the district, city and municipal jails under the BJMP of the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government).”
“Ang komisyon ang tanging may otoridad sa lahat pasilidad at kulungan maging sa national prisons at penal farms, provincial, sub-provincial, city at municipal jails.
“It shall also be responsible for the custody of detainees, and the safekeeping and rehabilitation of prisoners, as well as exercise control and supervision over all its personnel.”
Subalit hindi sakop ng komisyon ang mga kulungan at detention centers sa ilalim ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Boys Town, Girls Center, at iba pang youth rehabilitation centers. (Meliza Maluntag)
