Detainees safer in cells, said Año

March 23, 2020

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday assured that persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are safer inside  their detention cells than mingling with people as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country continues to rise. 

Año said all prison detention cells are COVID-free and that is the safest place right now. 

  “With the suspension of visitation rights, the PDLs have no way of contacting the virus and are therefore much safer than all of us who are out in the open and exposed to the movement of people and the virus,” Año said.

  “We want people to be in their homes doing home quarantine. Our PDLs are effectively on home quarantine already since they’re locked up,” he added. 

  According to the secretary, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has suspended jail visits in all of its 468 BJMP-supervised jail facilities nationwide as early as March 11, even before the declaration of a national public health emergency.

  “While the PDLs are incarcerated, we have their welfare in mind.  In the middle of the COVID-19 crisis, we are not neglecting the welfare of inmates that’s why as early as possible, BJMP already implemented measures to assure that they are safe from COVID-19,” he said.

He issued the statement after some sectors called for the immediate release of first-time and low-risk offenders so that they will not be infected with COVID-19.

  Año said BJMP has a complete complement of doctors and nurses who are monitoring the health of the PDLs 24 hours a day. 

  “Contrary to the claims of some sectors, we have, in fact, the best intentions for PDLs that is why they should remain in jails. They will be more vulnerable and exposed to the virus if they are released at this time,” he said.

  “The government is faced with the challenge of making sure that people stay in their homes to prevent the spread of the virus.  With the PDLs inside their cells, we have one less sector to worry about because essentially, they are already quarantined and therefore, have no way of getting the virus,” he said. 

  Año said that the bureau is taking extra precaution considering that one single case in a particular facility could affect the hundreds of PDLs and BJMP personnel in that area.

That’s why even BJMP personnel undergo thermal scanning everyday and wear face masks and foot bags as preventive measures to block the infection and spread of the virus in jail facilities.

Hand washing areas are also placed at the prison gates to maintain cleanliness and personal hygiene on top of regular disinfection in jail premises.

He added that the BJMP implemented the electronic dalaw (visitation) or “e-dalaw” as actual visits by relatives was suspended.

With the e-Dalaw System, each inmate is allowed to have 10-15 minutes use of Skype and Facebook every day from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm so they can continue to communicate with their families and relatives outside the detention facilities.

Based on their records, there are 134,748 PDLs nationwide with Cebu City Jail male dormitory having the highest number of PDLs at 6,237; followed by Manila City Jail with 4,916 PDLs; and Quezon City Jail with 3,821 PDLs. Ella Dionisio/DMS