At least 1,240 women persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) have signed a petition demanding the return of their money and the abolition of the prison’s trust fund system after an audit reportedly found up to P7 million in funds sent by their families missing.
Among the signatories are community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and church worker Marielle Domequil, both incarcerated at CIW. During one of Altermidya’s visits to Cumpio in jail, she confirmed that the trust fund issue had become a pressing concern among the PDLs. She said the controversy had caused growing anxiety inside the facility, particularly over prisoners’ access to money sent by their families.
Human rights group Karapatan brought the prisoners’ complaint to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Aug. 25, asking the agency to conduct an independent inquiry into the cashless system implemented in facilities of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Karapatan said the audit at CIW in Mandaluyong City found that as much as P7 million belonging to PDLs, including money remitted by their families, had gone missing.
The group said 1,240 PDLs signed the petition calling for accountability, the return of their personal funds, and the abolition of the trust fund.
“Paano maibabalik ang perang nawawala?” the prisoners asked in an earlier statement dated Aug. 18.
They said BuCor had announced the removal of two CIW officials from their posts but that no concrete answer had been given on how the missing money would be returned.
The prisoners also complained of difficulties withdrawing money brought by visitors or sent through a courier. They said withdrawals had recently been put on hold without warning and expressed concern that cash available in the trust fund was running low.
BuCor launched its cashless policy in February 2024 and pilot-tested it at the minimum-security compound of New Bilibid Prison and at CIW, according to Karapatan.
The group said CIW began implementing the system as early as March 2024 without adequate consultation and transition.
Under the system, personal funds of PDLs are placed in a trust fund. Prisoners at CIW may withdraw up to P2,000 in cash each week, while restrictions on items brought by visitors require them to buy some basic needs inside the facility, Karapatan said.
The prisoners said they had opposed the trust fund system but complied with the policy.
“Ang milyon-milyong perang ninakaw ay ilang taong pinaghirapan ng mga PDL at ng aming mga pamilya. Mas mabigat para sa amin na ang aming pagsusumikap na makaipon para kahit papaano makatulong sa aming mga pamilya at mga anak ay mawawala na lang na parang bula,” they said.
The prisoners said the money represented years of work and savings by them and their families, including funds they hoped could help support their children.
Karapatan also alleged that CIW official Daisy Castillote proposed replacing the missing money using income from prisoners’ telephone calls instead of requiring restitution from those responsible for the loss.
The group said the cost of a five-minute call would increase from P3 to P5, while the prisoners’ share of telephone income, previously used for dormitory expenses, would be withheld until the missing amount was replaced.
Karapatan described the cashless system as an added burden on prisoners and said restrictions on their access to money sent by relatives and friends leave the handling of those funds vulnerable to corruption.
The group asked the CHR to investigate both the policy and its implementation and to help address the demand of CIW prisoners for accountability and the return of the reported missing P7 million.
The prisoners are also demanding that money brought by visitors or sent through a courier be handed directly to them instead of being coursed through the trust fund.
