(Eagle News) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday, July 29, ordered judges to suspend the issuance of commitment orders for the transfer of convicted persons deprived of liberty from Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facilities to those managed by the Bureau of Corrections.
The SC order, which applies until Aug. 31, was contained in OCA circular no. 125-2020 signed by Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez days after he issued another circular, OCA circular no. 121-2020, directing the suspension of the issuance of commitment orders this time for newly-arrested PDLs to BJMP facilities.
According to the SC, the suspension of the transfer of convicted PDLs to BuCor facilities came following a letter of request by BuCor director-general Gerald Bantag to “prevent the further contamination of COVID-19 among PDL(s) and to minimize the movement of PDL(s) from the BJMP to the (BuCor).”
The SC said the suspension was also consistent with OCA circular no. 121-2020.
“All convicted PDLs who should have otherwise been committed to the BuCor shall in the meantime remain and be committed in the BJMP jail units,” the SC said.
Earlier, the BuCor confirmed at least 21 inmates–including 15 from the New Bilibid Prison—had died due to COVID-19 or complications as a result of COVID-19 in its facilities.
The 15 from Bilibid reportedly included Jaybee Sebastian, who had accused Senator Leila de Lima of being a protector of the illegal drug trade.
