A petition signed by 45 political prisoners, including 12 senior citizens and 18 with medical conditions, has been filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) urging it to stop mass transfers of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from New Bilibid Prison (NBP) to regional penal colonies.

The group Kapatid argues that these relocations severely disrupt healthcare access, legal proceedings, and family visitations, calling it a 'double penalty.

' Spokesperson Fides Lim criticized the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) for prioritizing decongestion over human rights, stating that transferring prisoners to already overcrowded facilities merely shifts the crisis rather than solving it.BuCor defended the transfers as part of its decongestion efforts, citing initiatives like the Bilis Laya Program and regionalization plans.However, Kapatid insists the policy fails to address national prison overcrowding and instead exploits public resources for corporate gain.

The group demands the DOJ and BuCor halt the transfers, grant retention of the 45 PDLs, require written consent for relocation, and uphold international human rights standards.