MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday has ordered the suspension of transfer of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) facilities.
In Circular 125-2020, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said the issuance of commitment orders by the courts for the transfer of inmates from the BJMP units to the BuCor is suspended until August 31.
The order was issued upon the request of BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag in a letter dated July 22 seeking the temporary suspension on the issuance of commitment orders to minimize the movement of PDLs and prevent the further contamination of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) among PDLs.
“All convicted PDLs who should have otherwise been committed to the Bucor shall in the meantime remain and be committed in the BJMP jails,” Marquez said.
As a procedure, PDLs who still have pending cases before the courts are detained at BJMP jails and would be transferred to BuCor facilities once they are convicted.