PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) has donated P6.6 million to digitize the Philippines’ Department of Justice’s prison records system and help decongest prisons. 

“The European Union has been a committed partner to the Philippine’s Justice Sector reform since 2006. Our engagement stems from the importance we attach to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights,”  said EU Ambassador Luc Véron in a statement on Wednesday.   

“By working to strengthen institutions’ efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of justice services, we can help improve access to justice for all,” he said.  

Through the EU’s Governance in Justice Programme, information technology equipment such as laptops, webcams, high-speed digital scanners and biometric equipment worth P1.8 million was turned over to the Bureau of Corrections on Wednesday.  

The EU, through its contribution, seeks to speed up the process of earlier release for eligible persons deprived of liberty and reduce the prison population.   

Priority will be given to those in the Correctional Institution for Women, it said. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan 

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