Majority of Kalinga inmates are from Tabuk; 118 undergoing trial – BJMP Data

Tabuk City, Kalinga – More than 160 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are currently detained in various jail facilities in Kalinga, with the majority coming from Tabuk City.

This is based on data from the Provincial Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), presented during a joint meeting led by the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Kalinga on March 30 at Davidson Hotel in Bulanao.

According to the report, a total of 165 Kalinga PDLs are detained in local jails as of the first quarter of 2026.

Of the total, 108 are from Tabuk City, 11 from Rizal, 10 from Pinukpuk, 7 from Balbalan, 6 from Tanudan, 3 from Lubuagan, 2 from Tinglayan, and 1 from Pasil, while 17 are from outside Kalinga.

Data on case status show that 118 PDLs are currently undergoing trial, 18 are awaiting arraignment, and 29 have already been sentenced.

Most cases are being handled by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 25 in Tabuk City, presided over by Judge Jerson Eckman Angog, accounting for 147 cases. RTC Branch 29 in Lubuagan handles 14 cases, the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC)–Tabuk handles 3, and the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Pinukpuk-Rizal handles 1 case.

In terms of length of stay, 145 PDLs have been in detention for two years or less, while the rest have stayed for more than three years.

Illegal drug-related cases remain the most prevalent among detainees, with 92 individuals charged under Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

By age group, 35 are aged 18–24, 33 are 25–30, 31 are 31–35, 18 are 36–41, 15 are 42–47, 9 are 48–53, 19 are 54–59, and 5 are 60 and above.

In terms of educational attainment, 16 are college graduates, 20 reached college level, 26 are high school graduates, 47 reached high school level, and 56 reached elementary level.

Meanwhile, BJMP monitoring from January to March recorded 70 newly committed PDLs and 31 releases. In January, there were 17 new commitments, 29 in February, and 24 in March. On the other hand, there were 3 releases in January, 12 in February, and 16 in March.

The BJMP-Kalinga underscored the need to strengthen support programs for PDLs to aid in their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.