HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND IN
LOCAL SETTING
Report by JENY ANN A. REYES
SIPAT
• Is a primitive law of those tribes from
cordillera and northern luzon. While,
BODONG is kind of court to settle tribal's
disputed and even individual people's
conflict in cordillera province. This even
existed up to this date. In fact, Father
Conrado Balweg demanded the Philippine
Government to recognize their court system.
FATHER CONRADO BALWEG
1521
• The colonization and subjugation of the Spaniards to this
country begins. Royal Decrees, orders and ordinances
from the king of spain were applied and implemented in
the colony. These laws were incorporated to become the
recompilation of the laws of the Indies. These
recompiled laws were in effects until 1887 when its
implementation was held in abeyance owing the
opposite of the Spanish Governor General in the
Philippines. Owing to these objections, the Spanish king
issued a follow up Royal Decrees, which turned
enforceable in the Philippine Islands together with the "
Ley Engiciamento Criminal" and another Royal Decree,
the "Legislacion Ultramarina".
Development of
Prison System in
the Philippines
during Spanish
Period
COMMANDANCIAS
• This existed in all provinces and cities where
Spanish colonizers exercise strong control. Its
equivalent of today is police stations or
precincts. The laws were enforced by the
"Guardia Civil" or the equivalent of today's
police.
BILIBID PRISON
• Is the first penal institution in the country. This facility
was constructed in 1847, became operational in 1865
and was formally opened on April 10, 1866 by a Royal
Decree. Its physical lay-out wa in conformity with the
dominant concept of design existing in Europe during
that time. It was perfectly a replication of millbank
penitentiary where it was constructed in a radial spoke
of wheel, it has a central tower, and the
brigadas(building) were made of strong adobe stones. It
was situated at the heart of the city of manila but was
later on transferred to the muntinlupa following the
inevitable development of the area for commercial
purposes.
• In addition, the bilibid prison in manila has become
overcrowded due to the considerable increase in prison
population. A 1969 senate report prepared by Senator
Salvador Laurel described the old BILIBID PRISON as the
"main insular penitentiary" designed to house the
prison population of the country. This prison was known
as the " Carnel y presidion Correctional" and could
accommodate 1,127 prisoners.
• The carnel was designed to house 600 prisoners who
were segregated according to class, sex, and crime while
the Presidio could accommodate 527 prisoners. The
Bureau of prisons has a ship, the BUPRi, that transported
goods and prisoners to all penal establishments in the
country.
