Thirty-five personnel of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and two persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are still active cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections as of Aug. 27, 2021.

Data given by Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay Villar showed that of the active cases involving prisons personnel, there are 22 at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City; eight at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City; and five at the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro.

Two PDLs still infected and considered active cases are those at the CIW, the same data showed.

Since COVID-19 hit the country in March 2020, there had been 645 PDLs and 369 prisons personnel infected, the data showed.

Of the prisons personnel infected, 219 were from the NBP; 51, CIW; 31, Leyte Regional Prison (LRP); eight, Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF); 18, San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF); 20, Davao Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF); and five, SPPF.

PDLs infected since last year included those from NBP with 254; CIW, 330; LRP, 31; SRPPF, 19; DPPF, nine; and SPPF, two. Only IPPF had no infection, so far.

Also, as of Aug. 27, 2021, a total of 2,684 PDLs and 1,090 personnel in seven prison facilities has been vaccinated, either they had received their first dose or had been fully vaccinated, the data showed.

The vaccinated prisons personnel included 752 from the NBP; 153, CIW; 85, SPPF; 18, SRPPF; 28, IPPF; 16, LRP; and 38, DPPF; while the vaccinated PDLs included 10 at NBP; 2,400, CIW; 214, SRPPF; and 60, DPPF.

There have been no vaccinations at SPPF, IPPF, and LRP. There was no explanation in the data provided.

Guevarra said that BuCor and BJMP have relied on local government units (LGUs) for the supply of vaccines.

But he stressed that “if the LGUs concerned cannot provide enough for them, then the BuCor and the BJMP should seek their own independent sources.”