21,858 PDLs released by BJMP since March

July 22, 2020

A total of 21, 858 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were released by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) nationwide since March, according to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said this is to decongest overcrowded jails amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the 21,858 PDLs released, 15,102 were paralegal releases through bail, plea-bargaining, parole, or probation; 6,756 were non-paralegal releases through acquittal or served sentence; 409 were elderly, 621 were sick, and 24 were pregnant.

“This is proof that in the midst of a pandemic, the government does not forget the welfare of our brothers and sisters in jails, especially the elders, sick, and pregnant. We also thanked the Supreme Court for their new guidelines that helped a lot of PDLs,” Año said.

“The DILG, through the BJMP, is also taking concrete measures to decongest our jails such as improving and putting up more jail facilities and fast-tracking the court hearings of PDLs,” he added.

Año also said the BJMP is conducting targeted testing in 51 jail facilities and three BJMP offices compromised by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Año said out of the jail units, Central Visayas had the highest number of positive cases at 731; followed by Calabarzon at 146; and National Capital Region at 139.

As of July 15, there are only 180 active COVID-19 cases in the BJMP, of whom 126 are PDLs, and 54 are BJMP personnel while 895 PDLs and jail personnel have recovered and 11 died.

Año said the recovery rate for PDLs is 82 percent and 69 percent for BJMP personnel, while the death rate is at 1.05 percent for PDLs and 0.56 percent for BJMP personnel.

He assured that the BJMP is sustaining its stringent measures to keep its other facilities COVID-free.

These measures include contract tracing, immediate isolation of suspected cases, proper medical attention, electronic dalaw or “e-dalaw," set up of hand washing areas, and regular disinfection in jail premises, among others. Ella Dionisio/DMS