1,180 inmates released

THE Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Wednesday said it has released 1,180 inmates over a six-week period in an effort to decongest the country’s penal facilities.

This brings the total number of prisoners freed under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to 31,619, according to the agency.

In a statement, BuCor said the latest batch of releases covered the period from March 29 to May 12, raising the total number of inmates released in the first five months of 2026 to 3,666.

Speaking during a ceremonial event at the BuCor headquarters in Muntinlupa City, BuCor director general Gregorio Pio P. Catapang, Jr. said the agency is aiming to release at least 10,000 qualified inmates annually during the remaining two years of the current administration as part of its decongestion and restorative rehabilitation efforts.

Mr. Catapang said the agency is also pushing for the modernization of the review process for inmates who have served their minimum sentences, including plans to install a server at the Board of Pardons and Parole to provide faster access to inmate case records or “carpeta,” which are used in determining eligibility for release.

He added that BuCor continues to promote faith-based rehabilitation programs, which he said help reduce violence inside prison facilities and support the reintegration of former inmates into society. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking