Montinola, Joana M.

BSCrim 3-1

7 PENAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

1.SAN RAMON PRISON AND PENAL FARM

According to historical accounts, the San Ramon Prison

was established in southern Zamboanga on August
21,1870 through a royal decree promulgated in 1869.
Established during the tenure of Governor General
Ramon Blanco (whose patron saint the prison was
named after), the facility was originally established for
persons convicted of political crimes. Considered the
oldest penal facility in the country, prisoners in San
Ramon were required to do agricultural work. During
the Spanish-American War in 1898, the prisoners in San
Ramon were hastily released and the buildings
destroyed. In 1907, the American administration re-
established the prison farm. In 1912, Gen. John
Pershing, chief executive of the Department of
Mindanao and Sulu, classified the institution as a prison
and penal colony and therein confined people
sentenced byofthe
In 1912, Gen. John Pershing, chief executive of the Department courts under
Mindanao his jurisdiction
and Sulu, classified the
institution as a prison and penal colony and therein confined people sentenced by the courts under his
jurisdiction. Under Pershing’s supervision, several buildings with a capacity for 600 prisoners were
constructed. After several years, the colony became practically self-supporting, with 75,000 coconut
trees, which were planted at the beginning of Pershing’s administration, contributing to the colony’s
self-sufficiency. Aside from coconuts, rice, corn, papaya and other crops were also cultivated. On
November 1, 1905, Reorganization Act No. 1407 was approved creating the Bureau of Prisons under the
Department of Commerce and Police, integrating the Old Bilibid Prison, San Ramon Penal Colony and
Iwahig Penal. The Philippine Coconut Authority took over management of the coconut farm from San
Ramon.

2. IWAHIG PRISON AND PENAL FARM

This penal settlement, which originally comprised an area of 22 acres, served as a depository for
prisoners who could not be accommodated at the Bilibid Prison in Manila. A prison facility was created
by the American military in the rain forest of Puerto Princesa. The Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in
Puerto Princesa is known as the "prison without walls," because even violent convicts here can work and
live on this vast land with relative autonomy. This facility was
 established during the American occupation. It
was however, during the Spanish regime that
Puerto Princesa was designated as a place where
offenders sentenced to banishment were exiled.
A specific area of Puerto Princesa was selected
as the site for a correctional facility. The American
military carved out a prison facility in the rain
forest of Puerto Princesa. The institution had for
its first Superintendent Lt. George Wolfe, a
member of the U.S. expeditionary force, who later
became the first prisons director. The settlement
was at first beset by attempted escapes. But
under the supervision of Col. John R. White of the
Philippine Constabulary, whowould become
superintendent of Iwahig in 1906, the colony
became a successful settlement. A merit system
was devised for the prisoners and vocational
activities were offered. These included farming,
fishing, forestry, carpentry, and
hospitalparamedical work. Prisoners could choose
the vocational activities they wanted.
3. The New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City

The New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa, Metro

Manila is the main insular penitentiary designed to
house the prison population of the Philippines. It is
maintained by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)
under the Department of Justice. The Old Bilibid
Prison, then known as Carcel y Presidio
Correccional (Spanish, "Correctional Jail and
Military Prison") occupied a rectangular piece of
land that was part of the Mayhalique Estate in the
heart of Manila. The old prison was established by
the Spanish colonial government on 25 June 1865
via royal decree. It is divided into two sections: the
Carcel, which could accommodate 600 inmates; and
the Presidio, which could hold 527 prisoners. Due
to increasing crime, the Philippine Government
enacted Commonwealth Act No. 67 and a new
prison was built in Muntinlupa on 551 hectares
-
(1,360 acres) of land at an area considered at that
4. DAVAO PRISON AND PENAL FARM (DAPECOL) time to be “remote”. Construction began in 1936
with a budget of one million pesos.
 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 ArmyThe 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.

5. SABLAYAN PRISON AND PENAL FARMS

Nearer to Manila than other penal colonies, the

Sablayan Penal Colony is located in Occidental
Mindoro and relatively new. Established on
September 26, 1954 by virtue of Presidential
Proclamation No. 72, the penal colony has a total
land area of approximately 16,190 hectares. Prison
records show that the first colonists and employees
arrived in Sablayan on January 15, 1955. Since then
several buildings have been constructed, including
the colonists’ dormitories, employees’ quarters,
guardhouse, schoolhouse, chapel, recreation hall,
and post exchange. Three sub-colonies were later
organized. One is a reservation which this day
remains part of a protected rainforest. Another is in
a coastal area. The third was used by the national
government as a relocation site for refugees from
the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991.
Sablayan prison is a facility where prisoners from
NBP are brought for decongestion purposes.

6. LEYTE REGIONAL PRISON

 The Leyte Regional Prison, situated in
Agbuyog, Southern Leyte, was established a
year after the declaration of martial law in
1972 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 28.
While its plantilla and institutional plan were
almost ideal, lack of funds made the prison
unable to realize its full potential and its
facilities are often below par compared with
those of other established penal farms. The
LPR has an inmate capacity of 500. It follows
the same agricultural format as the main
correctional program in addition to some
rehabilitation activities. The prison admits
convicted offenders from Region VI and from
the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa.

7. CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN

The Correctional Institute for Women (CIW)in

Mandaluyong, Rizal, established in 1931 by authority
of Act No. 3579 purposely to confine female national
offenders. the Davao Penal Colonyon 21January
1932in accordance with Act No.3732 and
Proclamation 414seriesof1931.TheOld Bilibid Prison
was transferred to Muntinlupa in 1935andwas
renamed the New Bilibid Prison in 1940. The
Sablayan Penal Colony in Mindoro Occidental was
established on 27 September 1954 under
Proclamation 72, and the Leyte Regional Prison was
established on 16 January 1973 under Proclamation
1101.With the approval of PD 28 on 25 October
1972, which established the regional prisons, all
existing national penal institutions were converted
into regular prisons and penal farms. On 14
February1931,the Correctional Institution for
Women(CIW)was born. It is administered and
managed by a Penal Superintendent. It was the sole
institution dedicated to women offenders serving
more than three (3)years imprisonment.