Davao Prison and Penal Farm, formerly the Davao Penal Colony (DaPeCol), was established on January

21, 1932 in Panabo City, Davao del Norte, Philippines. It has a land area of 30,000 hectares with a prison
reservation of 8,000 hectares. During World War II, the Davao Penal Colony was the biggest prison
establishment in the country which was used by the Japanese invading army as their imperial
garrison.Location

Panabo, Davao del Norte

Coordinates

7°24′58″N 125°37′11″E

Status

Operational

Opened

January 21, 1932[1]

Former name

Davao Penal Colony

City

Panabo

State/province

Davao del Norte

Postal code

8105

Country

Philippines

History Edit

On October 7, 1931, Governor Dwight Davis signed proclamation 414 which reserved a site for Penal
Colony in Davao Province in Mindanao and on January 21, 1932 the Davao Penal Colony was formally
established under Act No. 3732. During World War II, it was used by the Philippine-American Armed
Forces where more than 1000 Japanese were treated in accordance with the orders of the American
commanding officer. The Japanese Imperial Army attacked Davao on December 20, 1941 and the colony
was among the establishments that were taken over by the Imperial Army.[

Two thousand American prisoners were held in the penal colony after Japan’s conquest of the
Philippines in World War II. Some of the prisoners, survivors of the Bataan Death March, escaped in
Spring 1943.[2] When the twelve men escaped, later joining Wendell Fertig’s guerrillas, the Japanese
beheaded twenty-five prisoners. Major Stephen Mellnik, of Douglas MacArthur’s South West Pacific
Area (command), inserted the M1 S-X intelligence officer Capt. Harold Rosenquist into Mindanao in an
attempt to rescue the Americans before they could be moved. However, the Japanese had already
evacuated the camp, placing the American prisoners on a ship bound for Japan. However, that ship was
sunk by an American submarine, and only eighty-three reached shore and were rescued by guerrillas

DAVAO PENAL COLONY: The Davao Penal Colony is the first penal settlement founded and organized
under Filipino administration. The settlement, which originally had an area of approximately 30,000
hectares in the districts of Panabo and Tagum, Davao del Norte, was formally established on January 21,
1932 by virtue of Act No. 3732. This Act authorized the Governor-General to lease or sell the lands,
buildings and improvements in San Ramon Prison and Iwahig Penal Colony. It also granted authority to
the Secretary of Justice to establish a new prison and penal colony in a suitable public land. A budget of
P500,000 was allocated. Several committees were created to pick a suitable site for the enal settlement.
In accordance with the recommendation of these committees, Governor Dwight Davis signed
Proclamation No. 414 on October 7, 1931, which reserved a site for the penal colony in Davao province
in Mindandao. The site offered ideal conditions for agricultural activities.

During World War II, the colony was converted into a concentration camp where more than 1,000
Japanese internees were committed by the Philippine-American Armed Forces. The Japanese
weretreated in accordance with the orders of the American commanding officer.

On December 20, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Forces attacked Davao and the colony was among the
establishments taken over by the invading army.The entire settlement was thrown into confusion and a
great numberof prisoners escaped. Normal operations were inevitably disturbed. November 8, 1942, a
representative of the Director of Prisons transferred the colony and its properties to the Japanese
authorities. The remaining colony employees, their families and the inmates evacuated to Iwahig where
they organized the Davao Penal Colony at Inagawan sub colony (Palawan). The organization of the
colony in exile was authorized by virtue of Memorandum Order No. 60 dated June 28, 1943 and signed
by the Director of Prisons.

After the liberation of the Philippines, the colony-in-exile in Palawan returned to its old site in Davao. A
great deal of rebuilding and repair had to be done because the war had almost completely destroyed
the colony.