144 convicted prisoners granted parole so far —Duterte

More than 140 convicts have been granted parole in line with the government’s aim to decongest detention facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his weekly report to Congress submitted on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte said 144 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) have been granted parole as of May 15. Duterte also said 653 pending applications for parole/executive clemency are still being processed.

The Department of Justice earlier said those who will be released on parole will have to undergo quarantine at a facility in their respective penal farm and colony before being freed.

Duterte also reported that 53 elderly PDLs have been released as of May 12 following a court order. He said 31 of the elderly PDLs are non-recidivists while 21 have pre-existing medical conditions.

As for the COVID-19 situation in jails, the President said the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) had identified 703 suspected, 86 probable and 517 confirmed cases in its facilities as of May 19.

He said the detainees who have been found positive for the virus are undergoing treatment in various isolation facilities established by the BJMP. —LDF, GMA News