What has been done:
We end 2023 on a high note as our Community Bail Bond Program continues to provide low criminogenic risk PDL with an avenue for early release. Our Program Field Officers continued with their regular activities that included conducting weekly monitoring/home visits of successfully released participants, providing guidance and updating the steps they are taking towards becoming productive members of their communities.
Two of our CBB Participants had scheduled hearings for the period covered. These however, were postponed/reset for various reasons.
For this period, we were able to successfully release 2 CBB Participants from detention through bail. They join the 155 other CBB Participants that have been released, all of whom we are assisting towards community reintegration.
Last December 6 & 7, all three branches of the Philippine government gathered together to unlock solutions to jail and prison overcrowding during National Decongestion Summit spearheaded by the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC). Our Chief Consultant, Dr. Raymund Narag presented his ongoing research that laid the framework of discussions for the summit. Our Executive Director, Ms. Tessie Gomez, presented our Community Bail Bond Program and the challenges encountered in the bail process.
Last December 8, our PRESO, Inc. Board Member, Atty. Eirene Aguila conducted an jail visitation and paralegal assistance activity with her FEU law students at Pasay City jail Female Dorm. They would return on December 23 to distribute Christmas care packages to PDL.
PRESO, Inc. partnered with several parishes in Metro Manila and other organizations for Christmas gift-giving activities at various NCR jails throughout December. We likewise took part in the different PDL Christmas Wish Tree activities of several jails.
We likewise distributed Christmas care packages to selected CBB Participants throughout the month.
Our chief consultant, Dr. Raymund Narag returned to the country once again for important engagements related to our advocacy of uplifting the corrections pillar.
We concluded the year with face-to-face gatherings of our CBB team to celebrate and assess the year that was.
As of December 29, there have been 413 individuals referred to our program coming from 18 jail facilities, 7 police stations, 3 youth centers, and 3 correctional facilities. Of this number 215 had been interviewed. Of the interviewed, 107 had been successfully bailed out while another 50 had been released through other legal means.
More significantly, we have a total of 41 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 2,984,290.00. 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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