Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Chief Director Ruel S. Rivera (2nd from left), is
shown in a huddle with Supreme Court Associate
Justice Marvic Leonen (right) and other government
officials during the 1st National Decongestion Summit held on December 6, 2023 at Diamond Hotel in
Manila. The Summit is spearheaded by the Justice
Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC), which consists
of the Supreme Court PH (SC), the Department of
Justice – Philippines (DOJ) and the Department of
the Interior and Local Government (DILG), designed
to address challenges in the penal system and ease
the congestion problem in jails across the country
through a whole-of-government approach. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, representing President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., leads the holding of the
first of its kind jail and prison summit.
(Benjie J. Murillo / BJMP Photo)