NUPL chief: Heads must roll in missing P6 million female inmates’ trust fund

August 21, 2026

By ABOGADO.COM.PH Staff

National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) president Ephraim Cortez said heads must roll over the missing funds from the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) Trust Fund.

“Heads should roll,” Cortez said as he called for the accountability of CIW officials and employees responsible for managing the trust fund.

“The Correctional Institution for Women leadership, including all those officials and employees in charge of the trust fund, should be held accountable. No official or employee should be spared,” he said.

Cortez also urged the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to immediately replace the missing funds and ensure that persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) would not be made to pay for the shortfall.

“BuCor should immediately allocate funds to restore the missing amounts and should not pass that burden to the inmates,” he said.

Political prisoners’ support group KAPATID has also demanded that BuCor reimburse the missing money and called for the abolition of the mandatory cashless system for PDLs.

KAPATID said the cashless system had been imposed and administered by BuCor and that inmates should not bear the consequences of the reported financial shortfall.

BuCor relieved CIW Superintendent Daisy Sevilla-Castillote and the deputy superintendent on Aug. 11 following the discovery.

KAPATID has called for an independent Commission on Audit special audit and the prosecution of all personnel found responsible for the missing funds.