A House member advocating the release of inmates vulnerable to COVID-19 hailed on Sunday the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology for decongesting the country's overcrowded jails.
Rizal Rep. Fidel Nogales lauded in particular the BJMP's release of 21,858 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs ) from March 17 to July 13 in its 470 jail facilities nationwide. The figure was based on an announcement by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The DILG added that there are currently 180 active COVID-19 cases in the facilities run by the BJMP. Of the number, 26 are PDLS while 54 are BJMP personnel.
Eight hundred ninety-five PDLs and jail personnel have recovered from COVID-19, while 11 have died from the disease.
"Even as COVID-19 infections continue to rise, it is of paramount importance that we address the issue of our congested jails. Kung hindi inaksyunan (Without this action), we might be dealing with a far worse situation than the one we are already facing,” the neophyte lawmaker said.
Nograles, a Harvard-trained lawyer, had earlier called for the release of PDLs who are most at risk of infection, including the elderly and sick.
So far, 409 elderly PDLs have been released. Some 621 sick inmates, as well as 24 who were pregnant, have also been set free.
The Rizal solon also welcomed a recent Supreme Court (SC) order to all trial court judges to suspend the issuance of commitment orders to BJMP-run jails.
Suspected criminal offenders will instead be detained in detention facilities of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from July 22 until Aug. 31, unless extended by the SC.
“Mahalagang nagtutulungan tayo na mabawasan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19 (Cooperation is important in halting the spread of COVID-19),” he said.
Nograles, a legal aid advocate, also promised to step up efforts to enable PDLs to avail of legal services through the "e-dalaw” initiative, a joint project between Lakbay Hustisya Foundation and the BJMP.
He is the founder of Lakbay Hustisya Foundation, a legal aid trust fund organized to support legal aid activities around the Philippines.
The foundation has donated 40 computers to remote and highly congested jails all over the country.