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 The prison and penal farm in 2018 | |
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| Location | Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines |
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| Coordinates | 9°44′37″N118°39′40″E / 9.74361°N 118.66111°E |
| Managed by | Bureau of Corrections |
| City | Puerto Princesa City |
| State/province | Palawan |
| Country | Philippines |
Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines is one of seven operating units of the Bureau of Corrections under the Department of Justice. [1] [2] Currently, it houses some 4,000 inmates. [3]
The Spanish regime had earlier designated Puerto Princesa, Palawan as a place where offenders sentenced to banishment were exiled, often as a death sentence due to the endemic malaria. Yet, the facility was established only during the American occupation. Governor Luke Wright authorized the establishment of a penal colony in the province of Palawan on November 16, 1904. This penal settlement, which originally comprised an area of 22 acres, served as a depository for prisoners who could not be accommodated at the Bilibid Prison in Manila. A prison facility was created by the American military in the rain forest of Puerto Princesa. Lieutenant George Wolfe, a member of the U.S. expeditionary force, was the prison's first superintendent. [4] [5]
William Cameron Forbes, in his capacity as Secretary of Commerce and Police (1904–1909), conceived of the Palawan penal colony following the model of the George Junior Republic. According to Forbes, "The plan is to give these prisoners an opportunity to cultivate little lots of land for good conduct and industry." Three classes of colonists were established, the lowest being the newly arrived convicts, followed by a middle class living in the Home Zone on a two-hectare plot where they could build a house and live with their family, and finally the top class living in the Free Zone, also with 2 hectares of land. The first group of 61 convicts arrived in Nov. 1904, with the population reaching 313 prisoners in June 1905, and 446 in June 1908, plus 20 families. [5]
Major John R. White, of the Philippine Constabulary, became superintendent in Sept. 1906. Forbes directed White to establish a "form of self-government in the colony." Under White's rule, the mortality rate due to disease dropped, as the land was drained and sanitation improved. Barracks, an administration building and parade ground were built, while cash crops and coconut trees were planted. The work squads were controlled with a system consisting of a foreman and assistant foremen. By the time he departed in Sept. 1908, [6] White stated the 500 convicts lived under "moral constraints" and "interior discipline maintained without guards." Carroll H. Lamb took over as superintendent, and during his 3 year tenure, self-government was established. In 1909, Justice of the Peace Courts and a Court of Last Resort were established, and by 1910, the top class of colonists could elect minor officials, police and petty officers. By 1911, with a population over 1,000, Forbes stated "the colonists were allowed to govern themselves – elect their own president and council, or legislature, from among the men who by good conduct and industry had earned promotion to the highest grades." [5]
The Philippine Commission of the United States government passed Act No. 1723 in 1907, classifying the settlement as a penal institution. Prison escape attempts were an initial problem the colony experienced during its first 2 year, including 33 escapees on 20 Sept. 1905. Yet, through White's efforts, the settlement became a successful colony. Vocational activities included farming, fishing, forestry, and carpentry, from which the prisoners were free to choose. [4] [5] [6]
Pedro Paje was the Iwahig Penal Colony Superintendent during the Japanese occupation. The colony had about 1,700 prisoners and 45 guards and employees during WWII. At the same time, Paje led a secret Palawan Underground Force, which established communications with Palawan's guerrilla network, supplying them with food and medicine. Paje also kept tabs on the American POWs being held in Puerto Princesa. President Manuel Quezon had authorized Paje use of the prison colony inmates to carry out acts of sabotage and intelligence against the Japanese. As cover, Paje played the role of a Japanese collaborator. [7] [8]
In 1955, President Ramon Magsaysay promulgated Administrative Order No. 20 which allowed the distribution of colony lands for cultivation by deserving colonists. This was implemented by the Secretary of Justice Pedro T. Tuazon. [1] and Agriculture and Natural Resources Secretary Juan G. Rodriguez, [9] who granted qualified colonist six hectares of land. [4]
President Carlos P. Garcia created a committee on August 16, 1959 to study the state of national prisons. The prisoners in Iwahig were divided into two groups, settlers and colonists. The settlers were prisoners whose applications for land to cultivate had been approved. Tools, dwellings and beasts of burden were furnished by the government. Expenditures incurred for their maintenance and for their families were reimbursed from the products of their farms. Settlers received any amount of money they had loaned after the government deducted their obligations. [4]
During that time, Iwahig was subdivided into four zones or districts: Central sub-colony with an area of 14,700 hectares (36,000 acres); Sta. Lucia with 9,685 hectares (23,930 acres); Montible with 8,000 hectares (20,000 acres) and Inagawan with 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres). [4]
The Iwahig Prison is the subject of the film, Out of Bounds, by the French directors Alexandre Leborgne and Pierre Barougier, France, 2005. The film received the Grand Prix in 2006 at the EBS International Documentary Festival held by the national public television of Korea, EBS. [10]
Australian comedy duo Hamish and Andy visited the Prison for their show Hamish & Andy's Gap Year Asia.
A penal colony or exile colony is a settlement used to exile prisoners and separate them from the general population by placing them in a remote location, often an island or distant colonial territory. Although the term can be used to refer to a correctional facility located in a remote location, it is more commonly used to refer to communities of prisoners overseen by wardens or governors having absolute authority.
Palawan, officially the Province of Palawan, is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of 14,649.73 km2 (5,656.29 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Puerto Princesa which is geographically grouped with but administered independently from the province. Palawan is known as the Philippines' Last Frontier and as the Philippines' Best Island.
Palawan is the largest island of the province of Palawan in the Philippines and fifth-largest by area and tenth-most populous island of the country, with a total population of 994,101 as of 2020 census. The northwest coast of the island is along the Palawan Passage in the eastern South China Sea, while the southeast coast forms part of the northern limit of the Sulu Sea. Much of the island remains traditional and is considered by some as under-developed. Abundant wildlife, jungle mountains, and some white sandy beaches attract many tourists, as well as international companies looking for development opportunities.
Bataraza, officially the Municipality of Bataraza, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 85,439 people making it the second most populous city/town in Palawan.
Puerto Princesa, officially the City of Puerto Princesa, is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Mimaropa region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 307,079.
San Vicente, officially the Municipality of San Vicente, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 33,507 people.
A prison farm is a large correctional facility where penal labor convicts are forced to work — legally or illegally — on a farm, usually for manual labor, largely in the open air, such as in agriculture, logging, quarrying, and mining. In the United States, such forced labor is made legal by the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution; however, some other parts of the world have made penal labor illegal. The concepts of prison farm and labor camp overlap, with the idea that the prisoners are forced to work. The historical equivalent on a very large scale was called a penal colony.
Ramon Villarosa Mitra Jr. was a Filipino statesman, diplomat, and pro-democracy activist. He served as speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from 1987 to 1992. Prior to that, he was Corazon Aquino's first minister of Agriculture from 1986 to 1987, a member of the Batasang Pambansa from 1984 to 1986 and a senator during the 7th Congress.
The Palawan peacock-pheasant is a medium-sized bird in the family Phasianidae endemic to the island of Palawan in the Philippines. The spectacular male has a black body with blue marks on the wings, a grayish, finely speckled back and tail with blue peacock “eyes,” white marks on the face, and a red eye-ring. Females are mostly brown but with a white face. It is known as tandikan in the some local Palawano, Tagbanwa, and Batak languages of Palawan. It is featured prominently in the culture of the indigenous people of Palawan. The bird is also depicted in the official seal of the city of Puerto Princesa.
The Palawan hornbill is a large forest bird endemic to the Philippines. It is one of the 11 endemic hornbills in the country. It is only found in Palawan and nearby islands of Balabac, Busuanga, Calauit, Culion and Coron. It is locally known as "talusi" in the language Cuyunon. It is threatened by habitat loss, hunting and trapping for the cage-bird trade.
The Palawan flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only in the region of Palawan. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The falcated wren-babbler is a species of bird in the family Pellorneidae. It is endemic to Palawan.
Tennessee Colony is an unincorporated community in Anderson County, in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 300 in 2000. It is located within the Palestine, Texas micropolitan area.
The Bureau of Corrections is an agency of the Department of Justice which is charged with the custody and rehabilitation of national offenders, commonly known as Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL), who have been sentenced to three years of imprisonment or more. The agency has its headquarters in the New Bilibid Prison Reservation in Muntinlupa.
Out of Bounds is a 2005 French documentary film directed by Alexandre Leborgne and Pierre Barougier.
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Davao Prison and Penal Farm, formerly the Davao Penal Colony (DaPeCol), is a medium security prison located in Panabo City, Davao del Norte, Philippines. It has a land area of 30,000 hectares with a prison reservation of 8,000 hectares. Established on January 21, 1932, the Davao Penal Colony was the largest prison establishment in the country which the invading Japanese Army used as their imperial garrison during World War II.
Immaculate Conception Cathedral Parish, commonly known as Puerto Princesa Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan in western Philippines. It is in the Neo-Gothic architectural tradition and is the mother church of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa which covers the municipalities of Palawan west of Puerto Princesa City. It is located at the border of Barangay Matiyaga Poblacion and Liwanag Poblacion, near the Port of Puerto Princesa. At 118° east longitude, it is the westernmost cathedral in the country.
The Iwahig River, also known as Balsahan River, is a watershed located in the Iwahig Penal Colony in Palawan, Philippines. It has an elevation of 8 metres (26 ft) with an approximate length of 4.14 kilometres (2.57 mi) The river basin is a 22,859-hectare (56,490-acre) watershed encompassing the city of Puerto Princesa in Palawan province.
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