Inmates' wives fear for husbands' lives after transfer to quarantine facility Site Harry

The wives of inmates could not help but shed tears as they feared for their husbands’ lives after their transfer to Site Harry, the isolation facility of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) where COVID-positive and suspected patients are brought.

According to Marisol Abdurahman’s exclusive report on “24 Oras,” May Dominguez was afraid her husband, high-profile inmate Raymond Dominguez, would end up like JB Sebastian, an inmate who died of the illness.

“Naniniwala po ako na anytime soon mangyayari din po kay Raymond kung ano ‘yung nangyari kay Kuya JB. Hindi na po maalis sa amin ‘yung trauma sa mga nangyari nung nakaraan,” Dominguez said.

“Kasi ayaw naman po namin na pag gising namin kinabukasan, eh, abo na lang namin aabutan ‘yung asawa namin,” she added.

Raymond, who was detained for killing car racer Venzon Evangelista, and other inmates were brought back to Site Harry last week.

“Syempre takot na takot ako na baka gano’n rin ‘yung mangyari sa asawa ko. Ang sa akin lang naman po, kahit naman po preso ‘yung asawa ko, eh, tao naman po ‘yun. Hindi naman po ‘yun hayop na kung kailan mo gustong kunin ‘yung buhay ay kukunin mo,” Dominguez said.

The wives of other inmates expressed similar concerns.

“Na to-torture po kami kasi ‘yung mga anak ko din, ‘yung ganon. Sana naman ma-ano, unawain naman nila kami,” the wife said.

“Hindi naman po lingid sa kaalaman natin na ‘yung mga nauna, ‘yung mga unang pangyayaring ganito ay hindi maganda ang mga naging resulta. Katulad nung kay JB Sebastian hindi po ba na nalaman na lang ng pamilya abo na po si JB Sebastian. Napakasakit po sa amin noon,” she later added.

Sebastian died in July due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In defense, Bucor Assistant Secretary Gabriel Chaclag said that they wished for the inmates with COVID-19 to recover.

“Ano akala niyo sa amin mamatay tao? Kung may namatay man hindi naman natin kayang pigilan yan. Kasi COVID ‘yun eh. Hindi tayo gano’n, gusto natin silang gumaling,” Chaclag said.

“Ngayon kung may mamatay sa COVID hindi na natin kontrol ‘yon. Ano bang ibig sabihin nila na pinatay namin ‘yung asawa nila,” he added.

He said the inmates were moved to Site Harry because their rapid test results came out positive.

“Marami tayong napapagaling dahil sa Site Harry. Ginagawa natin ‘yun para hindi mag i-spread pa lalo sa mga population ng PDL ang COVID-19,” Chaclag said.

However, the wives of the inmates said they did not believe their husbands tested positive as they were in healthy conditions. They said the video of the inmates being transferred was proof.

“Simula nung na balik si Raymond sa building 14 ay naka padlock na po siya. So parang sobrang liit po ng chances na mahawa siya ulit ng COVID. Even before, hindi po ako naniniwala na nahawa po siya ng COVID,” Dominguez said.

Meanwhile, Chaclag said Raymond had experienced diarrhea several times.

“Marami na ring beses na binigyan ng lunas ng ating doctors. Naka survive nga siya ng COVID eh. Naibalik siya, naka survive siya. Ngayon nag positive ulit. Kasalanan ba namin ‘yun?” Chaclag said.

The wives expressed their wishes to see their husbands. However, the BuCor said this is unlikely to be granted.—Joana Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News