(Eagle News)–Almost 22,000 persons deprived of liberty have been released amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the 21,858 PDLs were released from March 17 to July 13 from 470 jail facilities managed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
Año said of the total, 5,102 were paralegal releases through bail, plea-bargaining, parole or probation.
Over 6000, or 6,756 were non-paralegal releases through acquittal or served sentences.
Año said of those released, 409 were elderly, 621 were sick, and 24 were pregnant.
“Patunay lamang ito na sa gitna ng pandemya, hindi nakakaligtaan ng pamahalaan ang kapakanan at kabutihan ng ating mga kapatid na nakapiit sa mga kulungan, lalong-lalo na iyong mga matatanda, mahihina at buntis,” Año said, as he thanked the Supreme Court for its guidelines on the release of PDLs.
He added the DILG through the BJMP was taking concrete measures to decongest jails by improving and putting up more jail facilities and fast-tracking the court hearings of PDLs.
COVID-19 cases among PDLs
According to Año, as of July 15, the BJMP has 180 active COVID-19 cases, of which 126 are PDLS and 54 are BJMP personnel.
He said Region VII had the highest number of positive cases at 731.
It was followed by CALABARZON at 146, and the National Capital Region at 139.
Region IX has 84 cases; Region III, 13; MIMAROPA and Region VI four cases each; and Cordillera Administrative Region and Region XI with one case each.
He said 895 PDLs and jail personnel have recovered, for a recovery rate of 82 percent for jail personnel, and 82 percent for PDLs.
Eleven, on the other hand, died from the disease, for a death rate of 1.05 percent for PDLs and 0.56 percent for BJMP personnel.
He said as part of efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, the BJMP is conducting targeted testing across 51 jail facilities and three BJMP offices.
Earlier, the SC ordered judges to suspend the issuance of commitment orders for newly arrested PDLs to BJMP facilities, upon the request of Año.
The High Court instead ordered the judges to send them to Philippine National Police facilities.
The directive came after the Bureau of Corrections reported 21 deaths due to COVID-19 complications and COVID-19 had been reported among convicts.
