Our Community Bail Bond Program and Better Versions Initiative achieved further gains this July, building on the groundwork that we...

So many documents. Redundant documents. Paper piled upon paper, like bricks in a wall. You finish one set of clearances only to be told you need another, and another. What should be the key to freedom becomes the very chain that binds you.

The law is clear. The Department of Justice is clear. The problem is the people who aren’t. Implement DOJ Circular 11 now!

Because if the Rule of Just Law is to mean anything, it must be more than a sword to protect the mighty. It must also be a lifeline for the poor who have drowned in the swamp of procedural delay.

Rooted in the goals of the BJMP’s J.A.I.L. Plan 2040, the BANDILA Program exemplifies the Bureau’s commitment to humane care, restorative justice, and the reintegration of PDL into the fabric of our communities. Through partnerships like this, freedom becomes more than release—it becomes transformation.

The UN has spoken. But our own people—judges who dismiss cases against the innocent, jail officers who treat inmates with dignity, parole officers who walk the extra mile—have spoken louder. These are the true Filipino heroes.

We need a law. We need legislation that recognizes that wrongful imprisonment—whether due to mistaken conviction or protracted trial detention—is a wound that deserves healing. That recognizes no one should be punished for being poor. That acknowledges the State has a moral debt to those it imprisons without cause.

Yes, three weeks isn’t much. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from the courts, from the jails, from the endless back-and-forth between paper and people—it’s that real change doesn’t wait for grand legislation. It sneaks in through courtroom doors, it sits quietly in sidebars, it speaks in soft voices and small acts.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has done something remarkable. From June 2024 to May 2025, it released some 68,000 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs). That’s not a small feat. That’s not a statistic you sweep under the rug. That’s lives—68,000 stories unshackled, 68,000 families pieced together again, if only partially, if only painfully.

The partnership aims to empower law students and faculty members of SLU in identifying, assessing, and assisting qualified PDLs who may be released on bail under the CBB Program. PRESO, Inc. will provide capacity-building, risk assessment, and technical support, while SLU will handle field implementation and post-release monitoring.

Danilo remains hopeful. He dreams of working abroad and believes he will have more chances once his NBI record is cleared. For now, he is doing what he can to support his daughter and move forward. He hopes society will give people like him a second chance after serving their time.

Pangarap ni Danilo makapagtrabaho sa ibang bansa at naniniwala siyang mas magkakaroon siya ng pagkakataon kapag naayos na ang kanyang rekord sa NBI. Sa ngayon, ginagawa niya ang kanyang makakaya upang masuportahan ang kanyang anak at makausad sa buhay. Umaasa siyang mabibigyan siya ng lipunan ng ikalawang pagkakataon matapos ang kanyang pagkakakulong.

Too often, PDLs plead guilty just to get out. They are not admitting guilt—they’re escaping a system that traps them in limbo. And when the innocent are punished, the credibility of the justice system collapses. This is a solvable problem. But first, we must act.

For meaningful reform to take place in either country, policymakers must strike a balance between public safety and rehabilitation. Addressing the root causes of crime, ensuring that penal policies match the system’s capacity, and prioritizing evidence-based reforms are crucial.

This guide is based on Republic Act No. 10592 (GCTA Law), the Revised Penal Code, and relevant Bureau of Corrections and Board of Pardons and Parole policies. It is designed to help you take the right steps toward lawful and successful reintegration into society.

The issue of prolonged pretrial detention in the Philippines is a troubling reflection of the dysfunction within the nation’s criminal justice system

From October 21-27, the entire nation commemorated the annual National Correctional Consciousness Week (NACOCOW)

I recommend that journalists pay attention to this subtle distinction as this is an important step to engage the public in meaningful discussion.

What has been done: The month of August was marked by several engagements aimed at exploring projects and activities that would benefit...

Without the reforms to overcome corruption, increasing the food budget will simply enrich the corrupt officers in the BJMP and the BuCor.