MANILA — The Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) is set to transfer nearly half of the inmates at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to a newly acquired property in Central Luzon to ease overcrowding, Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said Thursday.

“Out of the 22,000 inmates in Muntinlupa, we will be transferring 10,000 to decongest it. Then lately, I also reported to (Justice OIC) Secretary (Fredderick Vida) that we have acquired land in Nueva Ecija. The provincial government gave us 60 hectares for PDLs in Luzon, north of Metro Manila,” Catapang said in Filipino.

He also said high-profile convicts involved in ongoing ghost flood control project cases may be sent to a Supermax facility under construction in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, which is expected to be completed within the year.

“The Supermax facility has specific areas, two of them – a regional and penal farm, and at the same time, it’s also a Supermax facility for heinous crime offenders. We have death penalty before for serious offenses, right? They have been designated to be imprisoned there, in exchange for the abolition of the death penalty,” Catapang said.

The facility will feature a “justice hall” for virtual hearings via Zoom. Inmates will be closely monitored, with each cell accommodating up to two occupants, and will have access to sunlight and skills-based livelihood or reformation programs.

“They are simply confined in their quarters but they are allowed (to get) sunlight in the morning and then in the afternoon… Based on their skills assessment… they can be given jobs or livelihood or reformation programs and then of course, ultimately reintegration back to society after serving their term,” he said.

Catapang assured that inmates at both the Central Luzon site and the Supermax facility would not receive special treatment.

“We want to make sure what happened in the previous administration will not happen again. It would be shameful if they do not get punished,” he said.