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While the term “inmates” generally refers to incarcerated individuals in one of the various correctional facilities in the country, prisoners are inmates who are already serving prison terms. There are generally four types of prisoners:
1. Insular or national prisoner – serving a prison sentence of three years and one day of prison term to death;
2. Provincial prisoner – serving a prison sentence of six months and one day to three years;
3. City prisoner – serving a prison sentence of one day to three years;
4. Municipal Prisoner – serving a prison sentence of one day to six months.
Detainees are inmates still undergoing investigation, awaiting judgment or undergoing trial, or awaiting final judgment from the courts (e.g. lower court judgment or case is under appeal).
In the Philippines, prisoners, detainees and inmates are generally called Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL).