All inmates in the detention facilities manned by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), especially in areas hit by tropical storm "Florita" are safe, the bureau's top official said on Wednesday, Aug. 24.
BJMP chief Director Allan Iral said the initial action they implemented is to raise alert level 2 over the San Mateo Municipal Jail-Male and Female Dormitories after the main waterway in the vicinity reached 18.67 meters.
Iral stated that a total of 638 male and 102 female persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were evacuated by the BJMP Special Tactics and Response (S.T.A.R.) team personnel and other law enforcement agencies to the safer grounds of Guitnang Bayan 1 Elementary School in San Mateo, Rizal.
On Aug. 23, Iral disclosed that the BJMP National Headquarters set up 24/7 monitoring teams to check and gather real-time situational reports from the concerned regions to ensure the safety of the PDLs of the BJMP.
“The BJMP maintains coordination with the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils and Emergency Operations Centers to get latest weather situations and updates,’’ Iral said.
Despite the onslaught of the storm, Iral assured the families of the PDLs ‘that everyone under its jurisdiction is safe and well-secured.’
“Makakaasa po kayo na ligtas at nasa maayos na kalagayan ang inyong mga mahal sa buhay na nasa aming pangangalaga. Hindi po namin sila pababayaan (You are assured that your loved ones are safe and their well-being sound under our care. We will never neglect them),’’ he added.
The BJMP personnel are expected to assist in the conduct of relief operations and other civic activities in areas affected not only by typhoon Florita but during other emergency cases.
Earlier, the BJMP assured the public that all its facilities in Luzon are on full alert status as severe tropical storm Florita made landfall in Isabela in the morning of Aug. 23.
Iral maintained that the jail personnel in all regions were alerted to ensure the safety of the PDLs and secure the jail facilities from violent winds and intense rains.
“We activated our Oplan Typhoon. Jails in low-lying areas near the river and coastal areas were advised to take precautionary measures for possible evacuation due to flooding,” Iral said. (Chito A. Chavez)