9 detainees, 9 personnel tested positive for COVID-19 -BJMP spox

Nine persons deprived of liberty and nine personnel from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) have tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

BJMP spokesman Jail Chief Inspector Xavier Solda announced this  during a virtual press briefing on Friday.

"We have nine PDL and nine personnel who were tested positive for COVID-19," Solda said.

"As far as our personnel is concerned, naka-lockdown naman na po sila, March 20, kaya walang dapat ipag-alala ang kanilang pamilya pati na ang publiko."

The detainees, Solda said, were from the Quezon City Jail.

Solda said the infected PDLs have been isolated in a quarantine facility in Payatas which was constructed through the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Philippine Red Cross.

"Doon sa siyam na PDL natin, more than a week ago dinala na po 'yan sila sa isolation facility sa Payatas," he said.

On Friday morning, health officers from the Department of Health visited the Quezon City Jail male dormitory to check the condition of the PDLs, according to Solda.

Meanwhile, Solda said personnel who tested positive are now placed under home quarantine. These BJMP employees were doing paralegal and administrative duties.

"Hindi naman severe 'yung symptoms nila. Nandoon pa rin 'yung common symptoms na sore throat, may mga may ubo pa rin sa kanila. They were advised na mag-home quarantine muna," he said.

Solda said contact tracing has been started to determine individuals who have direct contact with the confirmed cases.

"We are doing an extensive contact tracing," Solda said. "We have a team assigned to it."

"We will continue caring for the infected PDL until they are fully recovered and fit enough to be reintegrated to their respective cells," he added.

This development comes as the Department of Justice (DOJ) studies calls for the release of incarcerated "low-risk offenders" amid the COVID-19 threat.

Several groups have called for the temporary release of prisoners who are vulnerable to COVID-19 due to their age, existing illnesses, compounded by overcrowding and poor sanitation in detention facilities.

Some detainees have asked the Supreme Court to allow their provisional release on humanitarian grounds.

Detainees of the BJMP are those awaiting or undergoing trial. 

According to Department of the Interior and Local Government spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, the release of the detainees will depend on the court's order.

"Kami po naman sa DILG-BJMP, we comply with the directives of the courts so there are some suggestions for the release of some detainees pero ito po ay kailangang dumaan sa proper judicial process," Malaya said.

"Kung mayroon pong court authorization, wala pong problema," Malaya added.

At the same time, Malaya said LGUs should include jails among areas to be included in mass testing.

"I'd like to take this opportunity na to advise our local government units na may area na may jail doon na isama na rin nila 'yung jails in their jurisdiction doon sa ginagawa nating mass testing para matulungan natin ang ating Bureau of Jail Management and Penology," Malaya said.

"Doon po sa ating mga mayors na gumagawa na ng mass testing ngayon, kung may irereport po sa inyo ang jail warden na posibleng PUI, may we request you to prioritize..." he added.

Earlier, a detainee at the Quezon City Jail died of acute myocardial infarction and hypertension. It was stated in the death certificate that possible COVID-19 infection could have contributed to his death. — KBK/RSJ, GMA News