What has been done:
The month of October is of particular significance for Persons Deprived of Liberty. The National Correctional Consciousness Week and the CBCP’s Prison Awareness Week are commemorated to raise the level of consciousness and promote awareness in both public and private sectors on the plight of prisoners, detainees, probationers, and parolees. It also seeks to make an impact on the re-socialization process of every inmate for their eventual reintegration into society.
Our Community Bail Bond Program continued to make waves as it expands further. Our Program Field Officers forged ahead going above and beyond the call of duty. These included conducting weekly monitoring/home visits of successfully released participants as well as attending to their court hearings and other steps they are taking towards reintegration.
Aside from the weekly monitoring of our released Participants, our Program Field Officers likewise were unfailing in conducting initial home and barangay visits for applicants, coordinating with barangay officials & PAO lawyers, and the processing of bail for CBB Applicants.
For this period, we were able to successfully release 9 CBB Participant from detention through bail and other means. They join the 94 other CBB Participants that have been released, all of whom we are assisting towards community reintegration.
Last October 10, PRESO, Inc. partnered with the Knowledge Advocate of Volunteer Lawyers headed by Atty. Juman Paa for a legal counseling and feeding program activity for Persons Deprived of Liberty at Manila City Jail Male Dorm. The activity sought to provide PDL who's cases have been languishing in court for some time with paralegal assistance including possible release through bail and other means through our Community Bail Bond Program.
From October 24 to 30, the plight of Persons Deprived of Liberty is brought to the limelight with the annual National Correctional Consciousness Week and Prison Awareness Week.
PRESO, Inc. took part in the week-long affair through the donation of soaps, bread, and other much-needed supplies for PDL. We likewise joined several programs and activities conducted by several BJMP-NCR jails as well as online seminars by the CBCP-ECPPC and Commission on Human Rights.
Last October 15-23, our Chief Consultant, Dr. Raymund E. Narag, returned to the country to once again provide his expertise to several criminal justice institutions. He met with the Cagayan Provincial Jail, the Parole & Probation Administration, the Bureau of Corrections as well as the Department of Justice among others.
Last October 4, our Executive Director, Ms. Tessie Gomez, was once again the featured guest of the CBCP’s “Narito Ako, Kaibigan Mo” program.
Last October 30, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), through its Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC), conferred the Gawad Panglilingkod Award to two of our stalwarts. Our former president, the late Judge Aurora Reciña, was posthumously conferred the award which was accepted by her granddaughter, Louise Reciña. Our Chief Consultant, Dr. Raymund Narag was also conferred the award which he received last Oct. 28 prior to his return to the U.S.
As of November 4, there have been 326 individuals referred to our program coming from 18 jail facilities, 7 police stations, 3 youth centers, and 3 correctional facilities. Of this number 156 had been interviewed. Of the interviewed, 64 had been successfully bailed out while another 44 had been released through other legal means.
More significantly, we have a total of 25 CBB Participants who have successfully graduated from the CBB Program. We consider participants as having successfully graduated from the Program after their cases have been closed, and at least another six months of monitoring have elapsed. Throughout this period, they must have shown to be responsible members of their community and can lead productive lives.
With their release, the government has now saved Php 1,550,320.00. This is computed by adding the amount budgeted per day (PhP70 for food) per PDL multiplied by the number of days since the day of the release from jail of every individual Participant. These savings will increase as days go by and as long as their cases are not terminated. For those whose cases are dismissed, served early or whose probation was approved, we expect a savings of least 60 days of non-incarceration.
Additionally, on top of the food savings by the government, these individuals are now back to the community and actively engaged in their livelihood- hence contributing to the economy. We minimized their exposure to the criminogenic jail environment leading to better reentry to the society as responsible members.
As we forge ahead with our Community Bail Bond Program, we continue to learn and re-learn approaches and procedures. And this is a welcome experience for us. We envision that more PDLs and CICLs would be assisted soon with their liberties restored, their dignity regained and that their lives are eventually rebuilt. We as a community have a significant role in all these. In the long run, support for our prisons and prisoners as a whole would benefit all of society in terms of lower rates of recidivism and increased sense of public safety. GOD IS ON OUR SIDE!
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