Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre is leading the ceremony meant to release 27 prisoners of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
This is part of the first batch of elderly and sickly prisoners who have been given release papers.
“Ako po ay nagagalak na masaksihan ko ngayon ang kauna-unahang pagpapalaya sa isang batch ng prisoners ng BuCor (I am happy to witness the first time BuCor is releasing its first batch of prisoners),” he said in a speech on Tuesday morning.
“To be free is to be fully human,” he stressed.
Aguirre, however, lamented that one of the 27 prisoners who were given executive clemency had passed away.
The justice secretary hopes, more old and ailing prisoners will soon be set free.
“This is just the beginning,” he promised.