President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Justice to prevent delays in releasing qualified inmates who have served their prison terms and lack legal assistance.
During his visit to New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa for National Correctional Consciousness Week, Marcos said eligible inmates deserve a chance to start anew.
The government is working with volunteer lawyers to review inmate records and speed up release procedures.
A total of 36,842 inmates were released from July 2022 to Oct. 26, while 16,179 were transferred to other penal farms to ease overcrowding.
Meanwhile, 24,534 inmates benefited from rehabilitation programs and 25,210 received livelihood assistance before their release.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 29, 2026
