MANILA — The Bureau of Corrections plans to move its entire minimum security compound for low-risk persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) or inmates to Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija by February next year, acting director general Gregorio Catapang, Jr. bared Thursday.

Catapang oversaw the transfer of 50 aging, sickly and differently-abled PDLs from the maximum security compound to the minimum security compound, a less densely-populated facility.

EARLIER: 50 aging, sickly and differently-abled inmates from Bilibid’s maximum security compound were transferred to the minimum security compound as part of BuCor’s decongestion efforts.

Minimum security has 1,400 inmates vs 17k+ in maximum security compound. pic.twitter.com/aJaLsAj6zY

— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) December 29, 2022

The minimum security compound houses 1,400 inmates compared to the more than 17,000 PDLs at the maximum security compound.

“This will be the first move to decongest the maximum [security compound]. Initial yan 50 just to show na we really want to decongest the Maximum prison compound,” he told the media.

“Then hopefully kung makuha namin yung Phase 4 of the drug rehab center sa Fort Magsaysay, we can move about the entire Minimum Compound to Fort Magsaysay. When that happens, eto namang lahat ng matatanda dito sa Maximum ililipat na namin sa Minimum so makaka-decongest tayo,” he added.

Catapang was referring to the Mega Drug Abuse Treatment Rehabilitation Center in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija which was originally designed to cater to 10,000 recovering drug users but was never fully occupied until it was converted into a COVID isolation facility.

The drug rehab facility opened in 2016 through the help of Chinese businessman and philanthropist Huang Rulun who donated P1.4 billion.

But some officials would later say smaller, community-based rehabilitation programs are much better than a mega-rehab facility.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla visited the facility in August “for possible expansion of facilities” but was still considering the site for either its medium or minimum security compound.

But Catapang said the move would just be temporary while the bureau aims to regionalize its jail facilities.

“Itong headquarters ng BuCor we will close it down. Lahat ng mga inmates o PDL na nandito ililipat na namin sa region. We will start it sa areas na pwede pang salpakan. Of course yung malalaki naming lugar ay yung sa Palawan, Davao and Leyte,” he said.

“Meron na kaming mga plano but I don’t want to preempt my plan. I need to tell it first to the secretary para siya na muna makaalam,” he added.

The plan includes relocating the Correctional Institution for Women, currently in Mandaluyong City, to outside Metro Manila with each region having its own correctional facility for women.

“Baka dapat dito sa NCR wala na. We have to be north of Metro Manila and south of Metro Manila. ‘Wag na dito kasi masyado nang urban area,” he explained.

A prior plan to relocate Bilbid inmates to Nueva Ecija during the term of suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag became controversial when it appeared that he had no authority to enter into a joint venture with a private company to develop the 375-hectare NBP Reservation in Muntinlupa City into a commercial, residential and industrial area in exchange for 234 hectares of land in Nueva Ecija donated by Agua Tierra Oro Mina Development or ATOM Corporation to BuCor.

The DOJ, under then-Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, opposed the deal.

• 'Independent Republic of BuCor': Why DOJ officials opposed joint venture Bantag entered into with private corp

Remulla instead said he wants to turn the NBP Reservation into a park open to the public.