By Jeffrey Damicog
The number of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who got infected with the deadly 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in prison facilities of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has risen to 117, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Friday, May 15.
Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Citing reports he received from the BuCor, DOJ spokesman and undersecretary Mark Perete said that as of May 14 there were “117 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the PDL population in BuCor.”
“Forty from the National Bilibid Prison; 77 from CIW (Correctional Institute for Women),” Perete noted. “The number of deaths is at four.”
The spokesman noted that among them there were nine who had recovered from COVID-19, including eight female inmates of the CIW in Mandaluyong City.
The eight female inmates are among the CIW PDLs who were taken to Site Harry, the quarantine facility of the BuCor located at the NBP in Muntinlupa City.
“Incidentally, following the augmentation of the quarantine facility at the CIW, PDLs from that facility previously brought to Site Harry will be returned to Mandaluyong where they will continue their quarantine/isolation,” Perete said.
According to the spokesman, among the BuCor’s PDLs, there are also 31 suspected cases and 80 probable cases of COVID-19.