Gov't urged to release 'qualified' prisoners to decongest jails amid COVID-19 threat

Selected prisoners must be released by the government to decongest overcrowded jails and prevent the possible spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID) among inmates, according to Senator Leila De Lima on Wednesday.

"Given the state of our jails and prisons, the infection rate will be catastrophic. We thus offer a solution: decongest our jails and prisons through a systematic release of qualified PDLs [persons deprived of liberty] on humanitarian grounds," De Lima said in an open letter to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

The senator, who is also detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, underscored that social distancing, wearing face masks, and regular handwashing are practically luxuries for inmates in the country.

She suggested that prisoners who are 70 years old and above or those with serious illness or disability shall qualify for early release.

Those who are detained and convicted for minor non-violent crimes shall also be considered for release, she added.

On the other hand, prisoners who have been detained or convicted of heinous crimes should not be qualified for early release, according to De Lima.

Citing the Enrile Doctrine, the senator said authorities must ensure "that the detainee will not be a flight risk or a danger to the community; and that there exist special, humanitarian and compelling circumstances" for the release.

"If done properly, we would be able to free up additional resources to improve the nutrition and sanitation in the jails and prisons for the remaining persons deprived of liberty," she added.

The lawmaker said Iran released over 85,000 prisoners last month and that Indonesia also committed to release around 30,000 inmates in a bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections in overcrowded jails.

According to the Palace, all facilities of the Bureau of Jail, Management and Penology nationwide have been placed under total lockdown since March 20.

Visitation privileges of inmates have likewise been suspended to prevent the possible transmission of the virus. 

De Lima was arrested in 2017 for drug-related charges that she allegedly got involved in during her tenure as justice secretary. The senator has repeatedly asserted her innocence.  

The number of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 2,084 on Tuesday afternoon, the Department of Health said. The death toll was at 88 while those who recovered numbered 49. —Dona Magsino/KG, GMA News