Catholic church ready to provide assistance to 27 freed inmates

According to CBCP-CPPC Executive Secretary Rodolfo Diamante, they are planning to organize a reunion of these inmates with their families. (Photo: Jess M. Escaros Jr./ PNA)

MANILA –The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (CBCP-CPPC) is ready to provide assistance to the 27 inmates that were freed on Monday.

According to CBCP-CPPC Executive Secretary Rodolfo Diamante, they are planning to organize a reunion of these inmates with their families.

“Their reunion with their families is the priority. We will ask our volunteers to facilitate this and extend whatever help they need within our means,” he said.

At the same time, Diamante noted that they will ask the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on what assistance they can provide.

“We will also engage the DSWD to provide the necessary assistance,” he added.

On the part of the Catholic Church, Fr. Anton Pascual, Executive Director of Caritas Manila, social action arm of the Archdiocese of Manila said they are also ready to help the freed inmates.

“We call that post restorative justice ministry. For the release inmates and family program. It includes livelihood, spiritual formation, and involving them in church life in the parish,” he said.

The Restorative Justice Prison Ministry is a special ministry of the Church through Caritas in the development…after care program (post care phase) – a support services program for released inmates.

The 27 freed inmates on Monday is the first batch from a total of 127 convicts who were granted executive clemency by President Rodrigo Duterte.

They were either granted pardon or commutation of sentence.