Cardinal David seeks compensation for persons wrongly jailed

Caloocan Bishop Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David said he hopes a law will be passed to compensate persons who have been jailed and eventually acquitted by the court.

The cardinal said the compensation could be equivalent to the minimum wage, reckoned by the number of years spent in “unjust” detention to give them the opportunity and resources to start a new life.

David on Thursday celebrated Mass for political prisoners and other persons deprived of liberty (PDL) at the Metro Manila District Jail (MMDJ) in Taguig City, which coincided with the visit of Pope Francis to one of the largest prison complexes in Italy for the 2025 Catholic Holy Year.

Francis had said the Rebibbia prison is one of the five that he would open during the Holy Year to show that “hope does not disappoint,” a Reuters report said.

“We hope there will be a law that will compensate PDLs undergoing trial and eventually acquitted for the months they have been imprisoned – even equivalent to a minimum wage – so that they will have a capital to start life anew,” said the cardinal as imparted by Kapatid, the support organization of families and friends of political prisoners in the Philippines.

David made the remark in reaction to the statement of political prisoner Adelberto Silva, who narrated that at the MMDJ, several Muslim detainees had to wait for 21 years before their cases were promulgated. 

Silva said those found guilty appealed the decision, and five were eventually acquitted.  Another case, he added, took 17 years before promulgation.

“But because they have been imprisoned for 21 years, can we say they have attained justice?” Silva said.

Republic Act No. 7309, enacted in 1992, created the Board of Claims (BOC) under the Department of Justice to compensate the victims of unjust imprisonment or detention of up to P1,000 per month.

The BOC may also grant claims up to P10,000 “or the amount necessary to reimburse the claimant the expenses incurred for hospitalization, medical treatment, loss of wage, loss of support, or other expenses directly related to injury, whichever is lower.”

In July 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that to be entitled to compensation under Section 3(a) of RA 7309, "an individual must have been unjustly imprisoned due to a conviction."

Hospitality

In his homily, the 10th cardinal of the Philippines narrated stories about the true meaning of hospitality (magpatuloy) and the need to “remove the walls of hatred, economic and cultural division…and instead build bridges that will unite us.”

David, who hails from Pampanga, shared how they used the words “Diyos po” when welcoming a guest knocking at the door.

“Ibig sabihin, patuluyin muna bago tanungin (We let them in before we ask), this is how we show hospitality. ….It could be God at the door posing as stranger,” he said.

The prelate also shared the story of Jean Valjean, the protagonist of Les Misérables, who spent many years in jail for stealing food to feed his family.  Upon release, he was allowed to stay in the cathedral, but thinking that the people have already judged him because of his past, he stole the church’s candelabra and fled.

Caught by the police, he was presented to the bishop and to his surprise, the bishop said he gave Jean Valjean the candelabra, and handed him several sticks more which he failed to gather. 

“The bishop said I am giving you the candelabra so that you will believe that you are a good man ….then, pay it forward,” David said.

“Christmas is hospitality, pagpapatuloy (welcoming)… God said, whatever you for the down-trodden, you do it for me,” he added.

The cardinal said he longed for the coming of the time when there will no longer be walls of division and hatred, and when there will be no longer a need for prisons, stressing “nobody should be deprived of liberty.”

Pilgrim of hope

Fides Lim, Kapatid spokesperson, said David’s visit was a special occasion for the political prisoners.

"This is a special occasion for us as Cardinal David's special pastoral visit coincides with the scheduled visit of Pope Francis to Rebbibia prison on the outskirts of Rome this afternoon to mark the opening of the fifth holy door of the Catholic Church's Jubilee Year of Hope,” she said.

“This is the second visit of the Cardinal to the facility this year. The first was on January 16, when he was invited by Kapatid to visit the political prisoners to know about their plight,” she added.

Gerry Bernabe, national coordinator of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care, added,

"You are very fortunate because then Bishop Ambo opened the year with a Mass in this jail. He was still wearing a purple skullcap, and he returns today to close the year with another Mass but he is now wearing a red skullcap because he is now a Cardinal.”

In the short program following the Mass, detained National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Vicente Ladlad welcomed the new Cardinal.

"I was gladly mistaken in thinking you would decline Kapatid's invitation because of your increased responsibilities. But you accepted the invitation of Kapatid swiftly and without hesitation,” he said.

"Cardinal David, you have clearly demonstrated your care for the welfare of persons deprived of liberty, including those illegally deprived of liberty, the political prisoners. With your visit, you help strengthen our own outlook for the future with hope and renewed commitment. Indeed, Cardinal David, you are truly a Pilgrim of Hope and Peace," Ladlad added.

NDFP peace consultant Adelberto Silva, reported the “subhuman conditions” of Filipino prisoners.

"We hope that, in various ways, with your help, Cardinal David, awareness can be spread about the many serious issues facing Filipino prisoners, so that we may gather strength to push for reforms in the prison and justice systems, as well as in our continuing pursuit of a just peace in our country," Silva said.

David said he found it "anachronistic" that communism is still illegalized whereas democratic countries have recognized it.

The cardinal said the release of political prisoners is a “first significant step” to prepare for the Jubilee Year's Pilgrimage of Hope.—LDF/RSJ, GMA Integrated News