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Writer's pictureDerek Santos

COMMUNITY BAIL BOND UPDATE – 05 AUGUST - 01 SEPTEMBER 2023


What has been done:


For the month of August our Community Bail Bond Program continued to reach more PDL who deserve to be released from detention even as we continued to explore engagements with like-minded individuals and organizations towards more reintegration programs for released PDL. 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.

Eighteen of our CBB Participants had scheduled hearings for the period covered. Eight pushed through while the others were postponed/reset for various reasons.


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 3 CBB Participants from detention through bail and 2 other Participants through other means. They join the 142 other CBB Participants that have been released, all of whom we are assisting towards community reintegration.


Last August 10, our PRESO, Inc. Executive Director met with the City Administrators Office of Quezon City to discuss a project on PDL reintegration. We are pleased that an LGU is interested in addressing the needs of newly released PDL in order to ensure that they are able to become productive citizens. We look forward to future meetings with the hope that Quezon City can become the leading LGU providing interventions toward PDL reintegration.


Last August 31, PRESO, Inc. took part in the BJMP’s 1st Reintegration Conference. The event served to recognize that PDL, once released from detention, face numerous challenges that require a whole of community approach to ensure he/she is given the chance to regain his/her stature as a productive member of society. The conference put the spotlight on several inroads made towards PDL reintegration by the BJMP and several partners/service providers.


As of September 1, there have been 392 individuals referred to our program coming from 18 jail facilities, 7 police stations, 3 youth centers, and 3 correctional facilities. Of this number 205 had been interviewed. Of the interviewed, 98 had been successfully bailed out while another 49 had been released through other legal means.

More significantly, we have a total of 36 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 2,663,640.00. 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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