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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHlLIl'PINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article III, Section 19 of the Constitution provides for the proper protection of any prisoner or 
detainee against the employment of physical, psychological, or degrading punishment or the use 
of substandard and inadequate penal facilities under subhuman conditions. Towards this end, 
professionalism in the rehabilitation and treatment of prisoners, as well as other problems 
suffered by local jails and national prisons, should be sufficiently dealt with. 
ThroUO'hout the "ount"y the nrohlp1Y\ nf' f'nnopd-inn j'n 1':t11 f'aof>-ilj'tlPI;.' f'onCPtluenthr Co:tllCPC 1<;til 
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disturbance, escapes, substandard living conditions, poor sanitation and hygiene-related diseases 
as the number of inmates in jails continue to increase. For this reason, an integrated prison and 
jail system is considered necessary to improve correctional services and solve the jail congestion 
problem nationwide. 
This proposed bill gives way to an integrated prison and jail system that particularly aims to: 
1. enhance coordination and harmonious relationship among personnel of the national, 
provincial, sub-provincial, district, city, and iiiunicipal jails; 
2. avoid fraternization between jail personnel and prisoners through reshuffling of personnel 
from one jail to another; and 
3. immediately respond to the logistical needs of each jail by easily adjusting the expenses 
of every jail depending upon the number of its prisoner at a given time. 
This bill further seeks to improve the existing penal system in the Philippines by abolishing the 
Bureau of Corrections, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and the provincial jail services 
being maintained by the provincial governments. In lieu thereof, a coordinated, highly-efficient 
and competent corrections bureau, to be known as the Bureau of Correctional Services, will be 
established. This bureau will be responsible for the proper custody and rehabilitation of the 
inmates in the national prisons, as well as in the provincial, sub-provincial, district, city, and 
municipal jails in the country. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this proposed bill is earnestly requested. 
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10 'S~F. TRILLANES IV 
Senator 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S.No. 793 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
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JUL 16 P4 :37 
INTEGRATING ALL THE NATIONAL, PROVINCIAL, SUB-PROVINCIAL, CITY, 
AND MUNICIPAL JAILS, PLACING FOR THE PURPOSE THE BUREAU OF 
CORRECTIONS, PROVINCIAL/SUB-PROVINCIAL JAILS AND THE BUREAU OF 
JALL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY UNDER A NEW BUREAU TO BE CALLED 
THE BUREAU OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be in enacted by the Senate and Hou~e of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Jail Integration Act ". 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State to 
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establish a highly efficient and competent jail bureau which shall be responsible for the proper 
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custody and rehabilitation of the inmates in the provincial, sub-provincial, district, city, and 
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municipal jails. Towards this end, the State shall promote an effective rehabilitation program for 
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the inmates; provide standard and adequate jail facilities; establish uniform guidelines and 
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policies for the efficient management of the personnel and inmates of the national prisons and 
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the provincial, sub-provincial, district, city, and municipal jails; and professionalize all the 
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persounel thereof 
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SEC. 3. 
Creltiion lind Compo~'iiion of the Burellu of Correctional Services. - The 
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Bureau of Correctional Services, hereinafter referred to as the Bureau, is hereby established and 
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constituted, which shall be placed under the direct control and supervision of the Department of 
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Justice (DOJ) and initially consisting of the Bureau of Corrections created pursuant to Section 
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26, Chapter 8, Title HI, Book IV of the Revised Administrative Code of 1987; the Bureau of Jail 
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Management and Penology (BTlVIP) created pursuant to Republic Act No. 6975; and the 
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provincial, sub-provincial jail services maintained by the respective provincial governments. 
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Detention centers and lock-up ceUs being maintained by the Armed Forces of the 
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Philippines, Philippine National Police (PNP), Boys Town, Girls Center, and other existing 
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youth rehabiiitation centers shaH not be considered as induded herein. 
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SEC. 4. Funciions llnd Jurisdiction of the Burellu. - The Bureau shaH be responsible 
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for the safe and efficient custody and effective rehabilitation of the prisoners within territorial 
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iimits of the Philippines in consonance with the Constitutional mandate provided for under 
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Section 19 (2) of Article III. It shall exercise supervision and control over all national prisons, 
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provincial, sub-provincial, district, city, and municipal jails, and perform such other functions as 
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may be necessary to carry out the policies set forth under Section 2 hereof. 
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The bureau of Correctional Services shaH absorb the functions of the Bureau of 
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Corrections, BJMP, and the provincial and sub-provincial jails maintained by their respective 
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provincial governments. 
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SEC. 5. OrgllniZlliion llnd Key Positiom~ - The nead oftne Bureau, to be known as the 
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Director, shall have the position and title of Chief of the Bureau and shall be assisted by two (2) 
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deputy chiefs, to be known as Deputy Directors, who shaH have the title of Deputy Chief for 
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National Prisons and Deputy Chief for Local Jails, respectively, all of whom shall be appointed 
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by the President. 
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Each Deputy Director shall have two (2) assistants who shall have the position and title 
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of Assistant Chief for Management and Rehabilitation and Assistant Chief for Security and 
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Operations, respectively. 
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The Secretary of Justice shall prescribe the organizational structure, staffing pattern, as 
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well as the functions of key officers of the Bureau upon the effectivity of this Act. 
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SEC. 6. ]i'/aintenance of Adequiltely-Equipped Ilntl Simitllry Jlliv,; - There ~han be 
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established and maintained in every province, city and municipality a secured, clean, adequately-
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equipped and sanitary jail for the custody and safekeeping of the prisoners. 
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There shall be established and maintained also a secured, clean, adequately-equipped and 
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sanitary jail for the custody of convicted prisoners who are serving sentence or awaiting result of 
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their appeals. The national jails shall refer to the existing national prisons and penal colonies 
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such as the New Bilibid Prison; Correctional Institution for Women; Iwahig Prison and Penal 
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Farm; Davao Prison and Penal Fann; Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm; Leyte Regional Prison; 
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and San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm. 
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SEC. 7. Custody Ilnd Treatment of Prisoners. - In the custody and treatment of the 
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herein mentioned prisoners, full respect for their human rights as well as their spiritual, physical 
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and general weii-being shail be promoted. 
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Any person who employs physical, psychological, inhuman or degrading punishment 
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against any prisoner or detainee, or who appears responsible for the use of substandard on 
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inadequate penal facilities under subhuman conditions shall, in addition to whatever criminal 
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liability ha may incur under existing laws, be administratively liable for Grave Misconduct 
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pursuant to Civil Service laws, rules and regulations. 
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SEC. 8. Power of the Secretary of Justice to Categorize Prisoners. - Upon the 
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effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Justice shail, after consultation with the Chief of the 
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Bureau, issue rules and regulations pertaining to the classification commitment and transfer of 
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the prisoners, taking into account their age, incorrigibility or recidivism, gravity if the offense 
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committed, penalty or sentence imposed on them, and such other factors as may help in 
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determining to which jail they shail be properly and appropriately placed under custody, with the 
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end in view of decongesting the jails and promoting the general ~elfare of the prisoners. 
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SEC. 9. 
Trrm~fer, Merger, IInti Absorpiion of the Offices lind Personnei. - All 
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properties, equipment and finances of the provincial and sub-provincial jails; of the defunct 
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Bureau of Corrections and the national jails mentioned in Section 6 hereof; and, of the defunct 
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BJMP and the existing district and city/municipal jails, shall be transferred to the Bureau. The 
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transfer, merger, and/or absorption of any government office concerned shail include the 
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functions, appropriate records, equipment, facilities, choses in action, assets, liabilities, if any, 
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and the personnel thereof who shaH, unless removed for cause after observing due process, in a 
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holdover capacity, continue to perform their duties and responsibilities and receive their 
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corresponding salaries and benefits. Those personnel of the transferred, merged, and/or absorbed 
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office/unit whose positions are not included in the new position structure and staffing pattern 
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approved by the DOJ, or who are not reappointed shaH be given preference to join the Bureau of 
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Correctional Services or any of the offices thereunder or shall be allowed to retire under existing 
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laws, rules and regulations. Otherwise, they shail be deemed separated and paid gratuity 
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equivalent to one and one-fourth (1 Y..) months basic salary for every year of service or a fraction 
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thereof. 
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SEC. 10. Specilll Oversight Committee. - A Special Oversight Committee composed of 
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the Secretary of Justice as Chairman, the Secretaries of the Department of Interior and Local 
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Government and the Department of Budget and Management, the Chairman of the Civil Service 
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Commission, the Chief of the Bureau of Correctional Services, and he Chainnan of the Senate 
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and House of Representatives Committees on Justice and Human Rights as members, is hereby 
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created. This Committee shall plan and oversee the expeditious implementation of the transfer 
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and absorption of the Bureau: the personnel, properties, appropriations and instaHations of the 
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Bureau of Corrections, including the national jails mentioned in Section 3 hereof and the BJMP, 
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including the existing provincial and sub-provincial jaiis maintained by their respective 
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provincial governments. 
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SEC. ii. Impiemeniaiion. - The impiementation of this Act shall be undertaken in four 
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(4) phases, to wit: 
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PHASE I -
Inventory and absorption by the Bureau of aU personnei, properties, 
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equipment, records, appropriations, and finances of the transferred and absorbed offices 
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mentioned in Section 9 hereof, to be completed within six (6) months from the effectivity of this 
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Act. 
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PHASE II - Recruitment of personnei to cover ail district, city and municipal jail 
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positions which, prior to the effectivity of this Act, have not yet been filled by the organic 
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personnel of the defunct BJMP, to be completed within six (6) months from the effectivity of this 
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Act. To accomplish the task of Phase II, special funds therefor shall be appropriated upon the 
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effectivity of this Act. At the end of this phase, ail these jail positions shail have been fiiled by 
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the organic personnel of the Bureau and removed form the supervision and control of the 
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members of the PNl'. 
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PHASE III - Approval by the Secretary of Justice of the organizational structure of the 
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Bureau, and the preparation and fiiUng up of its staffing pattern, to be completed within twelve 
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(12) months from the effectivity date hereof. 
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PHASE IV - Conversion of the rank of the unifonned personnei of the defunct BJMP 
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into its equivalent rank/position in the Bureau, and the rationalization of compensation and 
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retirement systems, taking into consideration the existing compensation schemes and retirement 
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and separation benefit systems of the transferred and absorbed offices mentioned in Section 9 
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hereof, to ensure that no member of the Bureau shail suffer any diminution in basic longevity 
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and incentive pays, allowances and retirement benefits due them before the creation of the 
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Bureau, to be completed within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act. The Speciai 
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Oversight Committee mentioned in Section 10 hereof shall be responsible for the timely 
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accomplishment of this phase. 
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Upon the effectivity of this Act, the present Bureau of Corrections as well as the BJMP 
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shaH cease to exist. The incumbent Director of the defunct Bureau of Corrections shail act as the 
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Chief of the Bureau of Correctional Services until such time as he shall have been replaced by 
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the President. 
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SEC. 12. Retirement Age of Uniformed Personnei of the Defunct BJMP. - Any 
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uniformed personnel of the defunct BJMP who shall be absorbed by the Bureau may, upon 
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reaching the age of fifty-six (56) years, retire in accordance with Repubiic Act No. 6975 as 
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implemented by the BJMP. If he opts to remain in the service, he shall be retired in accordance 
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with Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Retirement System under Presidential 
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Decree No. 1146, as amended. 
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SEC. 13. Application of Civil Service Laws. -
The Civil Service Law and its 
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implementing rules and regulations shaH apply to ail personnel ofthe Bureau. 
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SEC. 14. Funding. - For purposes of organizing and constituting the Bureau, and for 
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carrying out the provisions of this Act, the appropriations for the current fiscal year of the 
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transferred and aboiished offices mentioned in Section 9 hereof shail be transferred to the 
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Bureau. Thereafter, such amounts as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act 
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shail be included in the amtual General Appropriations Act. 
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SEC. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6) months from the 
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effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Justice shail, in coordination with the Bureau, promulgate 
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rules and regulations necessary to ensure the effective implementation of this Act. 
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SEC. 16. Separability Clause. - If any portion of this Act is declared unconstitutional, 
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the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions not affected thereby. 
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;:'J!,L. ~ I. M.epeullng LlUUSe. - All taWS, uecrees, execuu ve oruers, rules anu regUtaiiOns, 
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and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, 
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amended or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its 
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publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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