Some hospitals refused to accommodate Bilibid inmates with COVID-19, Bantag claims

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag on Thursday claimed that some hospitals refused to attend to sick New Bilibid Prison (NBP) inmates amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Bantag lamented the scrutiny they are facing over speculations on the deaths of high profile inmates while working to address the health issue inside NBP.

According to him, BuCor's health service chief Dr. Henry Fabro even cried because of this challenge.

“Grabe ang trabaho nila. Nakita mo si Doc Fabro, umiiyak… Tinatanggihan pa nga kami ng iba na mga hospital,” Bantag said, without identifying the hospitals he claimed refused accomodation to sick NBP inmates.

The BuCor chief said they were able to have Philippine General Hospital (PGH) to accommodate the patients in the prison with the referral of Senator Bong Go.

Bantag said they sought help from the Department of Health (DOH), but noted they acknowledge that other health facilities are also facing challenges to accommodate their own patients.

BuCor earlier reported that 21 inmates have already died due to COVID-19 in NBP, after reports surfaced that high-profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian died and his remains have already been cremated.

Sebastian testified against detained Senator Leila de Lima at a congressional hearing in 2016 regarding the alleged illegal drug trade inside the national penitentiary.

Speculations emerged that the deaths were faked in order to release the high profile prisoners in exchange of millions of money or the inmates were being executed.

Bantag have since dismissed such speculations. — RSJ, GMA News