The first of three maximum security prisons for heinous criminals will be built in Occidental Mindoro, Bureau of Corrections Acting Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said Friday.
The max prison is in line with the implementation of Republic Act 11928 or the Separate Facility for Heinous Crimes Act, Catapang said.
RA 11928 mandates the setting up of three such prisons, one each in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Meanwhile, RA 7659 lists the following as heinous crimes: Treason, piracy and mutiny on the high seas in Philippine waters, qualified piracy, qualified bribery, parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons, destructive arson, and rape.
Occidental Mindoro was chosen by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla as the site of the first heinous crime facility, according to Catapang.
He added that the prison will have no signal for communication devices and far from people. Inmates will be monitored using high-tech equipment and will not be allowed access to mobile phone.
Remulla was on top of the regionalization of the prison facilities as part of the reform he wanted to be implemented to correct the many wrongs that have been digged up when Catapang was designated as officer-in-charge of BuCor.
For one, he said the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City has easy access to public transportation which Remulla said helped more than 400 inmates escape from the facility in the past 40 years.